


St Louis Future

by Slayer_of_Destiny



Series: Harry Potter Crossovers [1]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bonding, M/M, M/M/M/M, Post War, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-01-29 15:36:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 48,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21412543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slayer_of_Destiny/pseuds/Slayer_of_Destiny
Summary: Harry and Richard have been in contact with each other after they find out that they're related. With the ending of the war, Harry moves to St Louis to get to know his cousin. Finding himself in the middle of another Supernatural world Harry copes with the after-effects of the war, and along the way picks up three beautiful men that need him, and when it comes down to it, he needs them. Slash
Relationships: Nathaniel Graison/Harry Potter/Jason Schuyler/Stephen Dietrich, Richard/Rafael
Series: Harry Potter Crossovers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680352
Comments: 158
Kudos: 1051





	1. Start

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ArielSakura](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArielSakura/gifts).

Chapter one

Harry took a deep breath and started to walk out of the airport his trunk behind him. Admittedly he was wishing that he had just been able to apparate here, but Kingsley…no Minister Shacklebolt Harry thought with grin…anyway the new Minister of Magic had decided that it would be safer for him to travel the muggle way and Richard had insisted on coming to pick him up at the airport, so he had been stuck on a plane for the last sixteen hours with a baby that screamed for the first few hours straight before Harry had broken and had cast a cheering charm on it.

The baby's mum had been a little concerned with the turn around in her baby but had been clearly relieved that everyone had stopped glaring at her. The food was disgusting and shrivelled, even by his standards of being forced onto rationing for the last year and half, that plus the fact that his new 6,1 frame had been extremely cramped in the seats after the first hour meant that Kingsley, Minister of Magic or not, would be receiving a very nasty howler from Harry any day now. Yawning widely Harry stepped out into the greeting area and couldn't help but feel more nervous than he could remember feeling since his first day at Hogwarts.

He had written to Richard, spoken to him on the phone and even managed to start e-mailing him over the past couple of months, however that was very different to meeting the man in person, moving into his house and praying to Merlin that the man would want to keep him around as he was the last chance of having real blood family and that he wanted to keep him, unlike most people, oh they cared for him, liked him, wanted the best for him, but in the long run no one wanted the boy-who-has-a-giant-target-painted-on-his-back living in their home. Pushing aside those painful thoughts quickly he looked around trying to spot Richard whom he had seen a picture of with his family before they died. Suddenly a very tall, broad Chinese man was in front of him dressed in an expensive-looking suit. Harry's wand hand twitched automatically as his feet shifted into a fighting stance.

"Harry Potter?" the man asked in a deep voice with a hint of danger behind it.

"Asking?" Harry glared suddenly having a bad feeling about this whole thing since the plane had started dropping into St Louis his magic had picked up an unusually high mix of strange magic. The man in front of him seemed to twitch in annoyance.

"Shang-Da," the man answered shortly after seeming to consider whether he should answer or not. In her cage Hedwig was hooting and clicking her beak indignantly at the man whom Harry could see was trying not to look shocked at his choice of pet, meanwhile he could feel Nagini shifting uneasily around his arm where he had ordered her to stay during the flight, but now he could feel her twisting around his wrist at the feeling of his rapid pulse as adrenaline started shooting through his body at the thought of an attack. It took him a few moments to remember where he had heard that name before but it came to him, Richard had spoken about his two friends Jamil and Shang-Da that acted more like bodyguards than friends around him.

"Oh right, yes, sorry…is Richard here?" Harry asked looking around.

"Had to go to a meeting so he sent me to pick you up," Shang-Da said making it clear what he thought about being sent to pick up a teenager.

"Oh, ok, well, thanks," Harry tried to smile but it came out as more of a grimace. Richard hadn't even come to meet him from the airport?

Oh wonderful, such a good sign for the start of things. Shang-Da considered him for a minute seemingly sensing his drop in emotions but Harry took a deep breath and cleared his face pulling his now well-worn mask into place, the calm and even façade, shoulders back with confidence, air of nonchalance about him that he had learnt while dealing with the ministry, this when mixed together was his 'meeting with Voldemort and the Death Eaters and wetting his pants but pretending to be confident' mask that he had been using since he was eleven. Shang-Da seemed surprised at this but just reached out and took the handle of Harry's trunk and simply lifted it before starting to walk out the airport leaving Harry to follow with Hedwig's cage, he felt something against his neck and smiled at the feel of Nagini settling comfortably there.

Harry blinked when the car pulled to a stop outside a house. He had been nodding off on the way here as the trip from the airport to Richard's house was a fair drive and the dark night and stuffy heat had hit him quickly, sending a brief mental thanks to Severus for the potion that prevented jet lag.

Severus.

Thoughts of the potions master rolled around his head as he followed Shang-Da up the path to his cousin's house, it was a family house, a family home, the type that gave you a warm and comfortable feeling just by looking at it. Then his thoughts went back to Severus, surprisingly during the war they had grown close, became friends as much as necessary allies. It was Severus who had fought at Harry's back in the final battle, the two of them sticking to each other like glue as they cut their way through the Death Eaters until they reached Moldy Shorts himself. He had been upset when Harry had told him he was leaving for America, but he had made him promise to write letters and phone as often as possible, his floo was always open and a bedroom ready at his and Remus's house for Harry should he need it and if his cousin treated him badly he was to tell him and Severus would come right away and show him why he had been thought a prize Death Eater once.

Richard had gotten in contact, somehow he had managed to find out where Harry lived after trying to track him and his uncle James down for over seven months with the help of a 'friend'. This friend had Harry worried because he was more than aware of the types of people that would be able to find him and none of them were of very good characters.

However after speaking to Richard for a while he had discovered that Richard had found out about his branch of the family after his mum died and he and his brothers had found letters from James Potter in England from when they were about eight right through to twenty-six and then a whole collection of returned letters written by Charlotte herself.

By reading these letters they gathered that James and Charlotte had been cousins but Charlotte's mother had moved to America and fallen in love, marrying and staying to have Charlotte, that didn't mean that they fell out of contact with the Potter's having regular visits until James and Charlotte were both eight, then it was letter correspondences. Richard had asked Harry about the strange code they seemed to write in, almost as though they were talking about a big secret but were keeping it hidden, Harry of course had a good idea what they were talking about but didn't say anything.

Eventually, Richard had made the offer after three months of talking for Harry to go over to America and live with him to see how he liked it, so they could get to know each other properly. After a little hesitation and talking it through with his friends Harry had agreed to give it a go, seeing as he was unsure what to do with his life next.

Richard had made his offer about a week after the final battle. And so Harry found himself on the way to America to live with a cousin he hadn't known existed for years. Harry smiled, if someone had come up to him after his first potions lesson and told him that Severus Snape would be one of the few people he would miss most about England he would have laughed in their face, asked what spell they were under and then tried to hex them into next week.

Harry didn't see the house as he walked through it, he barely even saw the room Shang-Da showed him into as he absently thanked the man before closing the door after him. He pulled off his shirt and jeans, changed into new boxers and then just sat staring at the wall. Nagini and Hedwig both settled on his new bed watching him with worry when he barely moved a muscle after an hour. The last 2 years were shooting through his mind, the people he had loved, the people he had lost, the things that he had had to do. He was marked and scarred and when Richard found out he wouldn't want to keep him.

Harry would tell him everything, he had to, he had had too many things kept from him in the past to do it to someone else. Harry was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he missed to sound of a car pulling up to the house and so jumped when the front door closed somewhere below, he sat and listened to the low rumble of definitely male voices, a deep laugh and then the sounds of chairs being pushed out across a stone floor. The sounds of footsteps on the stairs had him turning towards the door and he panicked when he heard someone at the door, scrambling he dropped on top of the covers and pretended to be asleep in time for the door to open and someone to look inside.

"Damn Jean Claude, I should have been there to pick him up, how must he have felt? Thinking I couldn't even be bothered to come meet him when he arrived?" a voice he recognised as Richard's sighed.

"Things have been tentative with everyone in the city for a while, the past few years have been mayhem, with things being quiet now it's the time to work out the kinks, you had to go. Don't worry I'm sure he'll understand and you have a long time now to make it up to him, he's here to live with you Rich, but you need some sleep as well, come on," Another male voice whispered seemingly pulling Richard from the room and closing the door. Harry lay still for a few moments before hissing happily to Nagini.

*He wants me here, he wanted to come and meet me!*

*It seems so, give him a chance, this could be your time for good luck and some happiness young master,* Nagini hissed back before giving her version of a smile and curling up on his pillow. Rolling his eyes he placed her on the edge and lay back down himself.

"Hedwig you can go for a fly now, you must want to stretch your wings after all that time on the plane," Harry whispered to his owl who gave an appreciative hoot before gliding out the open window like a ghost. Harry's smile widened when he heard Richard sleepily ask from the next room

"Did you just hear an owl?"

"Yeah, we don't normally get many owls around here," a second voice mumbled causing Harry to raise an eyebrow, Richard was gay? Shrugging he suddenly realised how tired he was and settled down to sleep thinking that maybe Nagini was right, maybe this was his chance for a new start.


	2. Richard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Richard finally meet face to face, and some secrets are shared

Chapter two

Harry was awake at six as normal, it had been a month since the final battle but he had been finding it hard to break through what had become habit for him over the past four years, it appeared to be impossible for him to sleep any later than six if he was lucky, he guessed that he had slept so late because of the long journey he had had. His sleep was still filled with nightmares and horrors of the past few years but he found that he and most of the others had coped with it all a lot better than the elder group had been expecting them too, they reckoned because they had all been there for each other and confronted what had to be confronted as it happened they were dealing better than had been expected.

Normally he would have gotten up, washed, dressed, eaten a quick breakfast with the others before they broke to go and do their thing for the day, either going on missions, making more groundwork where they were travelling, go on collecting missions, go and do some diplomatic missions or help train the newest additions to their team.

The minute his eyes opened adrenaline pumped through his system ready for an attack as he was on his feet in seconds scanning the room with his eyes, ears and magic for anyone's presence that shouldn't be there before remembering that the war was over. Sighing he ran his hands through now shoulder-length hair, then like he did every morning he would mumble to himself that he should really get it cut properly now that there was no worry of the hairdresser trying to slit his throat with the scissors, he winced at the memory and rubbed the faint line on his neck. In the end, he had made do with Hermione and Ginny's trims along with Ron, Neville, Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Seamus, Dean and Remus, all the while ignoring Kingsley's mad cackle as he rubbed his bald head happily. All ten of them had had to be wrestled into letting them do it but the girls had put their feet down and glared at them until they gave in.

Sighing at the thought of Ron, Hermione and his friends Harry changed into a pair of black jogging bottoms, a black wife beater and his black trainers, Severus hadn't managed to convince him out of wearing them, before he put his arm out automatically and a sleepy Nagini wrapped herself around his wrist, his wand was stored in it's holster around his right forearm - in obvious sight but only a witch or a wizard would know what it was. He then crept down the stairs wincing at every creek and groan before he eventually made it outside.

He turned back around and cast a tracking charm on the house so that if he got lost he could tap into it and find his way back. Taking a deep breath he started the stretches that Charlie had taught him to do years ago before a run. Charlie, now that was a different pang, and not for the same reason as the others did. They had officially gone out for a year, Charlie had been his first of many things he couldn't help but think with a smirk.

"Oh really will you stop thinking about the redhead, it was bad enough finding you all the time, you were worse than animals!" Nagini hissed from his wrist.

"Sorry," Harry responded with a smirk that let her know he was anything but before setting off at a steady run. He heard the small snake huff from around his wrist as Nagini started to slither up his arm and draped herself around his neck grumbling about motion sickness, Harry just rolled his eyes, this was normal for them as well. Luckily Nagini could resize herself from thirteen ft to three otherwise it would have made carrying her hell.

However as soon as he picked up his rhythm his thoughts wandered back to Charlie, he hadn't really thought about them as them for a while but he guessed that it might have something to do with the redhead's 'goodbye' causing him to have such a major reappearance in Harry's thoughts as a couple. The second oldest Weasley had been the cause of the change in his outer appearance from the scrawny, gangly little kid he had been, especially after he had been reinstated into the real world. After the events of his fifth year, most of his sixth had consisted of training, training, training, sleeping, training, training, eating, sleeping, training, training and oh…training.

By the time he had got back to his friends and the rest of the Order he was barely recognisable as who he had been except for his personality, perhaps he was a little more paranoid than before but he was still himself. He returned slightly early to Grimmauld place and found most of the Weasley family bar Ginny and Ron who were still at school.

Without Ron, Hermione and Ginny there Harry had spoken more to Charlie, Bill and the twins than he had before but it was Charlie that he hit it off best with and it quickly developed into more. He had asked Charlie to help him get a new image and so they had gone out and made the change. Charlie mentioned that he thought Harry's hair would look good long so Harry had had it lengthened, they had changed his clothes, hell he had even convinced him to get a tattoo and piercing's. Harry's eyes were drawn to the latest tattoo that he had gotten and the one with the most symbolism, it was on his right wrist and consisted of two vines in different shades of green twisted around each other ending with a white lily in the centre of his hand and on the inside of his wrist, there were five other people that had the tattoo's as well, those that Harry had spent the most time with on missions, Ron, Hermione, Charlie, Severus and Remus.

Hermione had worked on the Dark Mark spell with Harry so they could figure it out, and when they had they had decided to get a tattoo with the same idea of being able to summon and contact others with it, though without the burning and pain. When touched and activated the tattoo on the other's skin would warm-up and they would know that one of them was in trouble, then they would simply focus the magic in the tattoo connecting them together and they would know who was in need and get apparation coordinates to get to the person.

It had helped out more than once during the war, the first time being when Severus had been discovered as a spy and they had had to rescue him. Each person had a different flower at the end of their vine that was symbolic to them, except for Severus who had wolfsbane on the top of his hand and a lily on the inside of his wrist. The vines represented the person who wore the tattoo and the others who had it as well, connecting them forever and the vines showing how they were bound to each other and that their lives were entwined no matter where they were or what they were doing. Severus had complained about the sentimentality of it but had been suspiciously bright-eyed at what Harry knew was the fact that he was included in the small number that had been getting the tattoo.

That reminded Harry he hadn't let his friends know that he had arrived all right, and sitting in his trunk were two journals that were linked to similar ones that were with Ron and Hermione and Severus and Remus. Hermione and Severus were going to string him up for not writing to them to tell them he was safe, those two were scarily alike so that if Harry hadn't known better he would have thought that they were together, as it was Severus was very much gay and both were enthralled with their significant others, though that never got him out of trouble when the two ganged up on him.

Charlie though, they worked well together, Charlie was rough and passionate, hot and exciting, demanding and giving. Harry sighed, damn his libido, he would admit that after he and Charlie had officially split he hadn't exactly been celibate having one night stands, his way of dealing with what they were doing and the constant pressure of being the goody good leader was through sex, he had become quite the charmer with both the men and the ladies and had managed to put even Seamus to shame.

Then one night after Charlie had caught one of Harry's lovers leaving the hotel they were staying in, the redhead had stormed into Harry's room and after two hours of arguing over Harry wasn't quite sure what and then the next thing Harry knew they were in bed and Harry had remembered why he enjoyed being with Charlie so much, again and again, and again through the night and into the morning. They didn't really mention it but after that, it became a common occurrence that they would spend time in each others beds, especially after they either had a new battle, loneliness or another bought of jealousy.

It made things a little uncomfortable for the others but they had understood their weird relationship and this lasted for two years after their 'split'. And then Charlie had slipped into Harry's room on the night before he was due to leave and they had spent the night making love to each other, and though they never spoke it throughout the night as they made love they both had a mutual understanding that this was their goodbye to each other, the end of what they had and the mark for them to move on.

When Harry awoke after finally nodding off Charlie hadn't been there and he hadn't been with the others as they all said goodbye to him at the airport. Shaking himself he cleared his head as he settled into running a loop of St Louis near where Richard lived for the next three hours. Moody, Bill and Kingsley had all worked hard to get Harry's fitness to the level that it was currently at and he had worked hard to keep it, and found it hard to let it go now despite the fact the war was over, besides he found it a good time to either clear his mind or think specific things over.

He had had to train to be able to cope in any situation considering that in this war Voldemort didn't restrict himself to just Britain, choosing instead to travel to different countries collecting allies and magical objects, meaning that the light side had to follow behind and try to out plot him, so he had had to be able to run for miles in any weather, any heat, barely tiring and needing as little water to run on as possible. A lot of his missions had relied on his skill, his frame was suited to his skill, he was lithe and strong like a runner with plenty of muscle power but without looking like a bodybuilder, instead he was still well proportioned.

By the time he got back to Richard's house his internal clock told him it was around half nine, Richard had warned him that St Louis was hot, and he was right, except for the fact that not four-months ago Harry had been trekking across the Sahara, he still remembered Ron's whining and Severus's sunburn had just been hilarious!

By this point, Harry had taken his top off and tucked it in his back pocket while Nagini was giving soft little snake snores from around his neck where she was still tightly coiled. He jogged down to a halt to the porch and started stretching out so that he wouldn't cramp. He was halfway through his routine when the front door slammed open and someone rushed out, Harry whirled around quickly and recognised Richard standing at the top of the stairs looking as though he was in the middle of having a heart attack.

"Harry!" he breathed out a sigh of relief before sitting down heavily on the top step.

"Richard? Are you ok? Did something happen?" Harry frowned concernedly. He scanned his mind to think of what kind of things he had in his trunk that might have escaped or gotten out and scared the strong man but he couldn't come up with anything. Perhaps Mad-Eye had slipped one of his 'safety devices' in his luggage when Harry hadn't been looking, one of the more vicious ones?

"Did something happen? Did something happen?" Richard laughed weakly before standing and hugging Harry tightly. Harry froze embarrassed and slightly uncomfortable considering there was a very select few people that had actually hugged Harry so he was unsure how he was supposed to act with the cousin he hadn't seen and only talked to, plus something was clearly wrong and the adrenaline was spilling through his system again with worry.

However having someone who was family hug him, someone who cared hug him so tightly, and it was a caring hug felt good. Slowly he wrapped his arms up around Richard's broad back and hugged back firmly, smiling when he heard and felt the sigh of relief from Richard at his action.

"It's really, really good to see you. I'm so sorry that I couldn't come and meet you, I swear I would have been there if I could but I had this meeting to attend and I couldn't get out of it!" Richard rambled once he was calm again.

"It's ok, I knew you would have come if you could. Erm, Richard?"

"Yes?"

"I'm kind of sweaty and you are crushing my snake!" Harry explained.

There was a choking sound from behind Richard, a snort from behind Harry at the same time as Richard pulled away quickly. Harry turned to find a blond guy who was kind of small at around 5,5, with two women standing on the driveway clearly in the process of having been walking up it, on the porch there was a tall, broad guy with a Latino look to him and beside him was another strong-looking man who was black and had waist-length cornrows.

They were all staring at Harry in shock, including Richard, so he went over his words again wondering what could have caused the reaction, when he realised he rolled his eyes and held in his laughter, holding a slightly stunned Nagini up from around his neck, rubbing her head gently as she started grumbling loudly about being squished by annoying and overeager humans as he showed her to them.

"I was talking about a real snake, not that! This is my snake, Nagini, and she doesn't really appreciate being squashed," Harry shrugged as he continued rubbing her head to try and calm her down rather than talking to her like he normally would. She had gotten grumpier with age he swore.

"Clearly!" One of the women said coming closer to look at the emerald snake with interest. "Is that an Indian Daboia?" the woman choked stepping back rapidly as she recognised Nagini's breed.

"Yes, she decided to come with me after her last master started mistreating her, I found her in the middle of Goa or rather she found me, she wouldn't leave me after I found her so I kept her, we've been together a good few years now," Harry smiled when Nagini stopped the cursing that would have made even Ron go red and curled herself in her usual spot around his wrist.

"You have had her milked, right?" the same woman gave a nervous laugh.

"Well no not really, she gets really pissy when I try to milk her so I just leave her, I have only done it twice and that was when I needed to get some poison to have anti-venom made to carry with me, besides she will only attack if someone is threatening me," Harry explained.

"Harry, you keep a dangerous snake as a pet and trust that she won't bite you?" Richard frowned worriedly.

"As long as I let her sleep on my pillow and don't roll on her in the night she's happy," Harry grinned and then coughed at the expressions on their faces at his joke. "She's safe, believe me, she won't attack me or anyone else, so er…why were you panicking?" Harry asked trying to change the subject, it seemed to work.

"I woke up and you were gone, just disappeared, no note nothing and it was only seven in the morning as well! You're a teenager, you're supposed to sleep in! I didn't know what to think, I was worried you were upset that I hadn't come to pick you up or something and I know Shang-Da wouldn't have been the most welcoming, so I called the pa…my friends and we went looking for you, we just got back ourselves!" Richard rambled.

"Sorry Richard, I wake early, I normally run and after being stuck on that plane for so long I needed to stretch out a bit more than normal, I just didn't think to leave a letter, I'm sorry," Harry flushed slightly realising the mistake he had made, but also secretly pleased that Richard had been upset enough by him simply not being there so early in the morning that he had called his friends out to help look for him.

"Are you sure he's only just nineteen? He's very buff for his age," the blond-haired guy grinned as he walked fully up the driveway. Harry was suddenly aware of the fact that he was standing there with his top off, the tattoo of a gryphon and an ice blue dragon twisted around the perfect replica of the Gryffindor sword on show, the tattoo ran from just a few inches below his collar bone and disappeared into the waist of his pants, but he was more aware of the fact that he was showing off his many roping and silver scars that he had accumulated over the years, and sure enough it was to these that everyone's eyes were drawn.

It wasn't possible to wage a war and be one of the best fighters in said war and not gain a few scars, and when your main trainers and sparring partners are Mad-Eye and Severus their teaching was almost as vicious as the real thing. Tie that together with searching for horcruxes and the training for getting to those that he had done with Bill in Egypt using ancient tombs and temples as practice and he had more than his fair share of scars.

The worst scar looked almost artistically done considering it was perfectly parallel to his tattoo on the right side of his body running from the junction of his neck and shoulder and right down his body and though it couldn't been seen at that moment went right to the middle of his thigh, it was clearly meant as a killing blow, it turned out that McNair hadn't stopped carrying his axe around after he rejoined Voldemort. It had taken Poppy and Luna all they had to heal it to the raised and angry red it was now but Harry didn't really care considering that Dean hadn't been as fortunate as he had against McNair's axe, Harry had taken the bastard on to avenge Dean, which he did though nearly got himself killed in the process. Harry stood there slightly uncomfortable, but not ashamed as the stared at the many scars littering his back, chest and arms.

"Wow he easily has as many scars as Anita!" one of the women suddenly said.

"Sylvie!" Richard hissed suddenly realising that they were all staring and Harry was clearly uncomfortable. Richard smiled at Harry but he could see the worry and question shining in chocolate brown eyes. Before anyone could say anything Nagini raised her head and hissed.

"Feather duster alert!" she hissed her warning causing Harry to look up quickly and spot the white blur shooting towards the small group. Holding his arm out he smiled softly as Hedwig landed gracefully.

"Hey girl you were out late, did you enjoy your flight?" Harry asked as he stroked her chest, she gave a soft hoot back and nipped gently at his fingers affectionately. Suddenly he was aware of the stares he was once again receiving.

"You have a rare, poisonous Indian snake and a tame owl, are you Doctor Doolittle or something kid?" Latino guy asked. Hedwig started eyeing this guy up as though he was something particularly interesting but couldn't quite figure out what as the guy shifted uncomfortably.

"You have no idea," Harry grinned glancing down at Nagini before flicking his gaze back to Hedwig. "I put your cage in a dark corner, go get some rest," he told her before giving her a helpful push into the air. She flew through the open window, her movements followed by everyone.

"I take it it was her I heard last night," Richard asked.

"Er, yeah it must have been, sorry if she woke you up. Is it ok if I go take a shower?" Harry asked suddenly very aware of the fact that he was standing flashing most of his connections to the wizarding world before he could get a chance to tell Richard himself.

"Of course, it's your house as well, it's the door on the left of yours, we'll be in the kitchen when your done, up you go," Richard smiled but it was slightly tight, Harry knew he was fighting back the urge to ask questions about the scars, Nagini and Hedwig but Harry moved quickly into the house before Richard could pull himself to ask.

He had known since they had arranged for Harry to go to America to live with Richard that he was going to have to tell his older cousin about being a wizard and he had decided to do it pretty quickly because he wasn't going to let himself get any closer to Richard than he already was only to be rejected later on, he was going to tell Richard all the crap that came with him, plus the fact he didn't take to well to being woken suddenly. While thinking things over he took what he needed from his trunk and made his way into the bathroom. Nagini wrapped herself around the shower rail and looked around lazily as Harry scrubbed and washed his body before moving onto his hair.

"You're feeling it aren't you?" she suddenly asked conversationally. Harry cracked an eye open and stared at her before sighing.

"Yes they are shielding something, almost automatically I think. It's something that I recognise but can't quite put my finger on. I got the same feeling from Shang-Da when he picked me up, that's why I was so wary of him. Do you know what they're hiding?" Harry hissed back as he rinsed the shampoo out of his hair.

"I don't know every time I get close to figuring it out it's out my grasp again! Although the Latino nestling did give off the same feeling prey give off when they have been spotted by a predator," Nagini gave the equivalent of a snake shrug before she went quiet and decided to swing herself slightly as she enjoyed the feeling of steam against her scales, leaving Harry to think things through. He dressed in a pair of black dragonhide pants with crimson red symbols running through the leather, a red wife-beater, a black shirt open over the top, without thinking he placed his knife in its holster on his right arm, his wand went into the holster on his left.

He re-tied his hair into a small ponytail before starting back down the stairs towards the kitchen where he could hear voices coming from as he planned how he was going to start this conversation. He was saved however by what happened next. When he reached the kitchen door he paused when he heard an argument on the go, he paused at first so that he didn't intrude but when the energy that had been being shielded got stronger with their anger he got closer to recognising it so he looked into the kitchen to see that as well Richard, the Latino guy was still there, so was cornrows and blondie.

Blondie and Richard were the ones arguing, although it was Richard shouting while Blondie was seemingly attempting to argue back but appeared to be attempting to cower at the same time, Latino and Cornrows were watching looking slightly frustrated and as though this wasn't the first time they had witnessed something like this. The argument was about someone called Anita, with a lot of gesturing from the blondie to Latino guy.

"So what type of weres are you?" Harry asked innocently, however, their mouths practically hit the floor as they stared at him almost hyperventilating and trying to figure out how he knew at the same time. "My godfather's a werewolf, I recognised the shifter aura around you once you broke it through the shields," he explained sheepishly.

"But…but only vampires or other shifters can read that!" Richard choked.

"Or people like Anita," Blondie added softly but got a glare from Richard in return anyway and visibly wilted.

"You don't smell like a shifter or have the aura," Latino joined in looking and sounding a hell of a lot more relaxed than the other two. Cornrows, however, had moved almost silently across the room and was trying to push Richard behind him to shield him who was pushing him back so that he could see Harry.

"Erm ok, if we're going to do this now can I get some names? I don't really want to refer to you as cornrows, Latino and blondie. And I'm not a shifter or obviously a vampire, I'm not too sure what Anita is, so I couldn't say yes or no to that one. Oh, and would you mind if I ate while we talked?" Harry blushed slightly as his stomach gave a loud rumble.

"I'm Jason, werewolf, I'll fix something up so take a seat while the others do the introductions," Blondie/Jason gave him a wide smile again before moving behind the kitchen counters and started to bang and clash things about. Richard nodded in agreement and pulled Harry over to the kitchen table and made him sit down as he plopped into the chair next to Latino himself.

"Sorry, it was rude of me not to introduce them. That is Jamil, also a werewolf and my bodyguard really, I told you about him and Shang-Da. And this is Rafael my…" Richard drew off looking at Harry concerned as though worried what he was going to think, considering the current conversation to be had Harry found this amusing.

"Lover?" he finally supplied. Richard nodded slowly looking as though he was waiting for Harry to start ranting and raving causing Harry to roll his eyes as he reached a hand out to Rafael who was watching with part amusement and a lot more worry, it was clear he wasn't sure if he would still have a place with Richard should Harry not agree with it. "It's nice to meet you Rafael, Richard did speak about you a lot, I should have figured out," Harry smiled and got a grin back in response.

"I could say the same, he hasn't shut up about you since you made contact months ago, and this week he has been a nightmare fussing like a mother hen over every little thi…ow!" Rafael yelped and reached down to start rubbing his leg as Richard shot him a glare.

"Rafael is the king of the wererats in St Louis, and I am Ulfric of the werewolves," Richard coughed catching Harry's smirk.

"Wow a wererat! I've never met a wererat before, yes that makes me three one up on the were ratio!" Harry grinned.

"What do you mean 'the were ratio'?" Jason asked looking slightly worried as he walked over to place a bowl of porridge and a stack of toast in front of Harry. Harry, however, eyed the bowl of porridge and then looked at Richard amused.

"I told you, fussing," Rafael mock whispered and then yelped again.

"Stop whining, it won't even bruise!" Richard huffed.

"It still hurts!" Rafael grumbled.

"You branded a crown into your arm and you're complaining because I kick you?" Richard rose an eyebrow and Harry watched amused as Rafael spluttered. He however quickly found the brand of the crown on Rafael's tanned skin and nodded impressed. Jason plopped five cups of coffee onto the table, holding one out to Jamil who was hovering against the wall. When he sat down next to Harry and gave him a pointed look Harry scanned his thoughts before realising he hadn't answered his question.

"Oh yeah, me and my friends travelled a lot over the past four years, we weren't exactly holidaying but we had time on our hands that led to making up weird games to stop the boredom, me and my friend Hermione kept coming across shifters wherever we went, we seemed to just stumble across them, so we made a game out of who could find the most types of shifters. We found some really strange ones, though I have to say the strangest were the weredonkies in China, I mean it was hard to take them seriously when they were threatening us, werewolves, werescorpians, hell werehippos were terrifying, but weredonkies, not so much," Harry shrugged and took a bite of his porridge. "This is great thanks, plane food is rubbish!" Harry sighed happily around a second spoonful of food.

"So you're not scared by us then?" Richard asked tentatively. Harry frowned at the hidden tone in Richard's voice and looked up at him in a way that Richard and the others hadn't seen before, it was almost as though his emerald green eyes were searching his soul and whatever answer he found made him frown deeper as he turned back to finishing his porridge quickly before sitting back and levelling a calm gaze on his cousin.

"You want me to tell you that I don't think you're a monster? That I'm not scared of you and I trust you? But what good would that do when you clearly don't believe it yourself?" Harry's words were met by gasps from the other three and Rafael and Jamil both went to say something but were stopped by Richard holding up a hand whilst he stared at Harry.

"What do you mean?" he asked softly.

"I mean that no matter what I say to you, you are still going to see yourself as part of a monster and a threat to me, you'll think that's it's impossible for me to truly trust you because you are no more than an animal inside and I am disgusted by the very sight of you," Harry stated in a matter of fact tone that drew snarls from Jason and Jamil and a hiss from Rafael. "But you're not a monster, I do trust you and I respect you ten times more than I already did knowing that you cope with the animal inside every day and still carry on, you aren't one of those that just give in, you're are a good person…I see that, and I see that you control your more violent urges. I have placed my life in the hands of shifters more times than I can count and have never been let down, at home lycanthropes are treated like nothing more than animals, they are called Dark creatures, me and my friend are setting up help for them and trying to gets views and rules changed for them. I also know that the more powerful the shifter the more prone to self hate they are. I won't offer you my sympathy Richard because there is nothing to pity, I can only offer you my trust and request that you don't chew on anything that belongs to me," Harry grinned. They all sat silently for a minute processing what he had said before Richard clicked on and threw the piece of toast sitting in front of him at Harry with a 'hey!'.

"Thank you, Harry, I'm getting better but the instinct of expecting rejection is still there, the fear of it. So I think it's about time you explain what you are as well," Richard said seriously and Harry sighed taking a swig of his coffee before going straight for it.

"I'm a wizard," he sighed.

"A wizard? Like Gandalf?" Richard frowned.

"Erm no…though Merlin was real, he was the greatest wizard my kind has ever seen, his name's used in my world like god is in yours," Harry grinned and got some smiles in return, though mostly it was a hell of a lot of blinking. "Ok so here it is, basically I belong to a small society of witches and wizards across the world who have access to the magical core within our body, everyone possesses one, some peoples are more specific like people who are psychic or telekinetic, but with my type of wizard and witch we have access to all types of magic, we access our cores and channel the magic through words and a wand and we can produce almost any type of magic we like, although some are more draining than others," Harry started.

"So you like, stand there and rhyme to make magic while waving a wand around?" Jason asked.

"No we don't rhyme, our spells are Latin words, the newer spells are a little different but still have Latin basis. The word is linked to the spell you are trying to do, for example, to conjure a light the spell is lumos. And yes we most have to use wands as we need something to channel our magic through, it's more difficult and draining to use wandless magic where you have to focus the magic on a certain body part to cast the spell, though I can do small bits of wandless magic," Harry carried on.

"Can we see some of your magic?" Richard asked hesitantly but Harry nodded and flicked his wand into his hand before considering what he should do. Smiling he pointed his wand at Jamil who tensed visibly.

"Wingardium leviosa!" Harry spoke the familiar spell and did the flick a swish watching amused as they all stared as Harry hovered Jamil to reaching distance of the ceiling before gently setting him back on his feet.

"You can really do magic!" Richard gasped. Harry simply smiled and nodded before waving his wand and watched as the four men's eyes glued themselves to the dishes as they flew over to the sink and started to wash and put themselves away.

"So all those people you said you travelled with they were…" Richard paused clearly unsure what to call them.

"Witches and wizards yes," Harry smiled.

"And when you said you travelled for work?"

"I may have been stretching the truth slightly. It was my job but it was more of a mission than work I didn't get paid to do it. Plus I have been travelling for three years not one," Harry added remembering that white lie.

"What types of places have you visited?" Rafael asked curiously.

"Oh erm, quite a few, we don't have to worry about planes or visa's or anything so it's quicker for us. Erm, I've been to Romania, China, Russia, France, Spain, Canada, Syria, Egypt, Poland, Israel, Nigeria, Brazil, some time in L.A and San Francisco, New York, Alaska and four months ago we finished a three-month trek across the Sahara," Harry listed.

"That's a lot of places," Richard stammered.

"It was interesting, we'd often blend in with the people, stay in their types of housing rather than tourist areas so it made it even better, though Severus had a bad habit of insulting any hosts we had," Harry snickered.

"You mentioned this Severus a lot!" Richard noted.

"Hm yeah he's a good friend and mentor of mine, he was friends with my mum and Remus with my dad, they're together now after nearly twenty-two years of dancing around each other!" Harry shook his head.

"They let you come here?" Rafael asked softly clearly not wanting to upset Harry.

"We have all had a little bit of a tough time lately, things have been hectic for us all, that's done now so we are all trying to find our own way for the moment. We'll stay in contact and it's not like it's going to be a major issue to see each other, but Severus and Remus need time by themselves after spending the first three years of their relationship with someone else around all the time, and I wanted to come and meet Richard and see if maybe I could set a life up for myself here," Harry shrugged.

"You lived with them?" Jason asked.

"And just a few other people," Harry snickered seeing their confused looks he explained. "Well let's see there was me, my best friend Ron and my other best friend Hermione, Ron's sister Ginny and a good friend her age called Luna, then there were Ron's older brothers Fred, George, Percy, Charlie and Bill, Bill's wife Fleur and their daughter Victorie, Percy's wife Penelope, Ron's mum and dad Molly and Arthur, Hermione's mum and dad Jean and Paul, Fleur's little sister Gabrielle, then we had Remus and Severus, Draco - Severus's godson, Neville, Seamus and Dean. Then there were few others that came and went - mostly came- that slept on floors and sofas and any available free space," Harry laughed at the looks on their faces.

"Where the hell did you live? Buckingham Palace?" Jason finally asked.

"Not quite, my godfather left me a large townhouse when he died when I was fifteen, we needed to stay together for various reasons so we used that, though most of the time me, Ron, Mione, Charlie, Severus, Remus, Kingsley, Mad Eye and Tonks were travelling around," Harry focused on draining his cup before summoning the coffee pot over to the table.

"Mad Eye? That's a weird name," Richard scrunched his nose slightly.

"Not really when you see him, he was our version of a police officer for a long time, dealt with the worst of them, he's a scary sight to be honest, chunk missing from his nose, and his scars make mine look like scratches, he's got a wooden leg and he got his nickname because he lost his eye but got this weird magical electric blue one that can see through things and spin 360°, so Alastor Moody became Mad Eye Moody. He's more than a little paranoid so the mad part indicates more than one aspect of him," Harry sniggered.

"So you want to stay here then?" Richard asked looking hopeful.

"I'd like to, Britain isn't really my home anymore, and I'd like to have a go at getting to know you," Harry mumbled looking uncomfortable for the first time during their conversation.

"What will you do for a job?" Rafael joined in.

"I already have a job set up of sorts. Our Minister of Magic has asked that I play diplomat while here, I'll also be doing some private policing work here as well, the two Ministers have requested my help on someone who has currently moved into the area," Harry sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose in a habit he had picked up from spending too much time with Severus.

"What is their name, perhaps we can help?" Jamil offered causing Harry to jump at his sudden involvement in the conversation.

"When I know more I'll ask," Harry held back.

"Why do you have to do this?" Richard frowned clearly unhappy.

"Because I'm one of the best at what I do, the time spent travelling wasn't a vacation, I was working, hunting, fighting, there is a cleanup job to be done from the work we were doing, I volunteered as I was coming to this side of the world anyway. I don't mind Richard," Harry assured his cousin as he opened his mouth to argue again.

"I…I guess it's your choice. So how about I show you around town?" Richard offered, it was clear that the issue wasn't done but they were both going to let it rest for now so he simply nodded and followed the small group out the kitchen with Jason talking his ears off with questions about his magic.


	3. Jason

Chapter three

Seven weeks later Rafael and Jason were sitting smirking on the sofa together while Richard paced back and forth anxiously whilst throwing the front door worried looks every now. It was upon this scene that Jamil and Richard's Geri Sylvie walked in on.

"Has he finally cracked?" Sylvie blinked as she nudged Jason up and plopped down next to him.

"Nope he's finding out what it's like to be a worried parent," Rafael smirked pretending to ignore Richard's glare.

"What is it? Has something happened to Harry?" Sylvie asked anxiously looking worried now.

"Harry went out to a meeting at their ministry of magic ten hours ago and hasn't come back, we have tried telling him that Harry is more than able to look after himself but he's been like this for the past three hours and has been twitching in the last six," Rafael shook his head whilst pretending to ignore Richard trying to burn a hole into the side of his head.

"He can look after himself but it's a long time to be gone, isn't it? I mean from what I have gathered Harry didn't really like this ministry stuff," Sylvie frowned as she watched Richard pacing like a caged wolf.

"Well…we're trying to look on the bright side and stop him from wearing a hole in the carpet!" Rafael hissed.

"Oh! Sorry," Sylvie winced. "Erm…do you mind if I stay until he gets back, to be sure? I mean I don't want a call in the middle of the night to go look for the pup!" Sylvie added quickly.

"You can't fool us you care for the pup as much as any of us d…" Rafael's teasing was cut off by the sound of the front door opening.

"May Voldie eat his soil,

May his blood and bones boil!

He's lying in the grass,

Kissing his ass!

Because his taunting he could not pass!

Face us if you can!

Better men have run...ran!

In the face of our fearful rath!

They pissed enough to fill a bath!

They squealed like little girls!"

The loud singing and sniggering had all of them turning wide-eyed towards the living room door as two figures dropped in, literally dropped in, one clearly Harry from the mop of jet black hair, the other however they didn't recognise, what was clear however was that the pair were well and truly drunk if the giggling was anything to go by, the bottle each had clasped in their hands was also a slight give away.

"Shush...Richard will be pissed if we wake him…he's…hee hee that's Richard! Hey Richard, hee hee, Kings…hey Kings…'at's Richard, m' cousin! He's the ufric…uflic…he's the boss of the wolves…an Jamil is' bodyguard, Sylvie, she's Geri! Hey guess what the male seconds are called? Fenrir's, how silly is that, Fenrir was called second!" Harry snickered as he rolled onto his stomach as who they could now see was an older black man lay on his back giggling as well. "An…an that's Rafael, he's a wererat…not like that festering piece of piss Wormtail, but a real wererat! He's Richard's lover! Hee hee Richard actually thought I might have a problem with him being gay!" Harry mock whispered before the two of them burst out laughing, the venom with which Harry had spoken about the guy called Wormtail had shocked them as they had never heard or seen Harry angry or even really annoyed before. Shaking himself Richard reached down and heaved Harry into a standing position and held onto his arms when Harry swayed back toward the floor after he let go.

"Harry you were supposed to be at a meeting, not getting drunk!" Richard frowned.

"We were! But then the idiots started goin' on abou' the war an' all tha' crap an' we fel' shit afterwards so we wen' for a quick drink for ol' times sake an' might have go' a little carried away! An' Kings can' ge' home like this so I said he could stay here till the mornin' then go…sorry Rich," Harry looked mournfully at Richard who shook his head.

"It's alright Harry I was just worried, you were so worked up this morning about it," Richard sighed.

"It was as bad as I though' it would be! You wanna swig?" Harry grinned holding out the bottle of what looked like whisky.

Deciding to get rid of as much as possible before more went down Harry, Richard took a swig and promptly started hacking and coughing as it felt as though his throat had been lit on fire.

"Hee hee, sorry Rich, tis firewhiskey strong stuff! Up we go!" Harry grunted as he heaved Kingsley off the floor and manoeuvred him until they were balancing each other out.

"I can't breathe! It burns!" Richard choked as tears streamed from his eyes.

"Take another swig, it'll make it better!" Kingsley advised. Throwing a doubtful look Richard did as instructed and though it was still a sharp burn the feeling of his entire body being on fire stopped.

"How the hell can you drink that Harry?" Richard asked when he finally could.

"With plenty of practice!" Harry grinned snatching the bottle back.

"Drink in moderation, alcohol in plenty!" Harry and Kingsley cheered before clanking their bottles and taking a gulp.

"Oh, I met a bonny lass in fair old Hogsmead's town,

She smiled and winked before she looked to my side and asked with a frown,

Who is your friend sir sitting by your side?" They both started warbling as they flopped down on the sofa.

For the next hour the two of them chattered drunkenly, no one really understanding what they were talking about because of the drink and they still weren't 100% up to date on the wizarding world, however they were aware that the conversation had taken a darker and more weary turn as both men became down and brooding.

"Don' feel righ', bein' normal…actin' like nothin' happened, all tha' time, all tha' people!" Kingsley shook his head.

"Still see em in me dreams, hear them…Moscow I can still smell their flesh burnin' an' all I can think is I'm glad it wasn' one of us!" Harry scowled before taking another swig.

"You were a good leader Har', strong, people looked up to you, they still do," Kingsley slapped Harry on the back.

"You were good too, an' people need you now, to make the ministry and better place!" Harry nodded passionately.

"You've not been getting any!" Kingsley frowned suddenly going totally serious. Richard, Jamil, Jason and Sylvie all gawped silently at the two that seemed to have forgotten their presence.

"What! What makes you think that?" Harry huffed taking a quick swig from his bottle.

"Because you always became more 'fix the ministry' positive when you hadn't shagged anyone, you have been here for three months and not shagged anyone! That can't be good for you," Kingsley added sympathetically.

"Hey we're not in camp anymore where you can all keep track of who I sleep with! I could have been sleeping with people!" Harry whined.

"Have you?"

"No," Harry slouched taking another swig.

"Wow…didn' think that was possible…if I wasn' with Bill…"

"I'm not shaggin you Kingsley! That's just wrong, there are rules!" Harry snorted.

"No one from the group…besides Charlie!" Kingsley smirked.

"Bugger off before you say anything!" Harry scowled catching the smirk.

"Oh come on! How did your last goodbye go? Everyone knows you had one 'cause Charlie went jogging and came back without a top on!" Kingsley waggled his eyebrows as Harry groaned.

"I can't believe it…oh fuck Molly!" Harry gasped sitting up quickly.

"She saw the very large and numerous love bites, scratches…and she saw your room when she went in to cast the preservation charms on it," Kingsley snickered as Harry buried his face into his hands.

"I think I might go poke a dragon now. Merlin that's so embarrassing…" Harry groaned.

"Never mind, so about your none existent sex life?" at this point Richard hustled everyone out the room and quickly closed the door to give the two privacy trying to ignore the fact he was now more informed on his cousin's sex life than he wanted to be, the cousin he was beginning to see as a son/brother.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Ow my head!" Harry's groan alerted them all to the fact that he was now awake, glancing over the five of them watched Harry's head emerging from the tangle of limbs looking a little worse for wear, suddenly a loud slap was heard and Kingsley sat up quickly with a pout.

"I am not Bill, keep your hands to yourself!" Harry huffed sitting up fully.

"Harry? Fuck my head is banging, I've not been this bad since…"

"The week after the final battle," Harry nodded and then winced holding his head. "Hedwig!" he called pathetically and three seconds later Hedwig glided into the room with two potions vials clutched in her talons. Shooting them disapproving looks she allowed them to take the vials which they quickly downed and then let their heads rest back onto the sofa as they waited for them to take effect. "What happened?" Harry finally asked.

"I remember leaving the meeting pissed off and agreeing to take you to the magic area here, we found a pub…" Kingsley frowned.

"Ordered a bottle of firewhiskey between us…then the idiots from the ministry turned up…"

"We decided it wasn't a good idea to stick around with them there and our tongues slightly loosened so ordered a bottle each and walked back to your cousin's house while drinking…"

"And got in and…Richard!" Harry squeaked opening his eyes and jumping to his feet in one go as his eyes met his cousin's.

"Morning Harry, Kingsley," Richard nodded with a straight face.

"Ha ha morning Richard. Erm about last night, what exactly did we say?" Harry asked wringing his hands nervously.

"A lot about your sex life!" Sylvie grinned.

"Nothing else?" Harry dismissed that one.

"You were talking about fighting, and people dying, battles," Jamil said softly from where he had been reading the papers. They all watched as Harry went pale and sat down heavily on the sofa.

"You haven't told them about the war?" Kingsley choked looking between them.

"What war?" Richard frowned.

"Harry…" Kingsley sighed.

"I just wanted them to get to know me first before they found out I was a mass murderer," Harry murmured quietly but their hearing picked it up easily.

"Harry it was war, kill or be killed none of us had any choice," Kingsley sighed flopping down next to Harry.

"But we all know what the people who didn't see the war think about us all really, what they think we are," Harry said as his and Kingsley's shoulders slumped. "You heard them yesterday, that's why I didn't tell them, why I couldn't!" Harry added.

"Harry what's going on? What are you talking about, there haven't been any wars in Britain have there?" Rafael asked calmly as he walked over and sat on the coffee table in front of Harry, Richard following quickly to take the empty seat beside Harry.

"Do you want me to…" Kingsley offered but Harry shook his head.

"No, I'll tell them. There has been a war but not that muggles were made aware of. Thirty years before I was born a wizard went as dark as they could go, he had been turning before that but the point that he became the darkest was when he started killing people. His name was Voldemort, or that's what he named himself, Lord Voldemort. He was the darkest wizard the wizarding world has ever seen and he was intent on one thing, wiping out anyone that didn't fit in with his picture of the perfect magical race. Think Hitler, except instead of blonde hair and blue eyes Voldemort wanted only pureblood wizards. In the magical world, there are three types of classification for witches and wizards, pure blood is pretty self-explanatory, there has been no muggle blood mixed in with there's for at least three generations, though none at all in more likely. Then you have muggleborns, we aren't quite sure how it works but there are witches and wizards born to muggle parents that just seem to gain their magic, the opposite of this is a squib, a child born to two magical parents but has no magic. And last, there are half-bloods, a child born either to a magical parent and a muggle parent or someone born to a pureblood parent and a muggleborn one, I am a half-blood, one of the few of the pureblood/muggleborn mix as purebloods generally are very proud to call themselves that and don't mix. Now Voldemort despite being a half-blood himself wanted to take over the wizarding world and kill all half-bloods and muggleborns that he saw as polluting the magical world, and he gained lots of followers either through fear, for their desire for power or because they believed in his ideas and a war was started. Then a prophecy was made,

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ...

Only Voldemort only heard part of it. He figured out that there were two that fitted into the criteria he heard, a pureblood baby or a half-blood baby. Both families were put under protection but Voldemort had spies within the light side and he made the choice as to which child was the prophecy child. On Halloween he went the to house the half-blood child was hiding in with his parents and killed the father, the mother tried to protect the son but was killed for doing so and then Voldemort turned his wand on the baby and fired the killing curse…except it didn't work, the spell backfired and knocked Voldemort's spirit away from his body and caused him to flee in that form while the baby was left marked as his equal…" Harry drew off to take a deep breath and see if they were keeping up with him, Sylvie, Jason and Jamil had come over as well and all five were listening intently.

"You were the baby, the one he marked weren't you?" Richard asked softly almost scared to hear the answer. Slowly Harry reached up a hand and brushed his fringe away to reveal the lightning bolt scar.

"It's a curse scar, the mark left when touched by something truly evil, the most famous scar in the wizarding world," Harry snorted.

"Why so famous?" Sylvie frowned.

"You have to understand, no one had survived once V…Voldemort decided to kill them, no one, not the strongest witches or wizards, the best hiding places, they were found and killed. V…Voldemort might have been evil but there was no denying he was great. The curse he cast, the killing curse, there is no escape from it if you don't duck out the way in time, two words and that's it, a clean death that leaves no trace. No one has survived the killing curse except for one person," Kingsley took up and everyone looked at Harry.

"Yes alright, that would be me. And because of that I was made famous. The-Boy-who-lived they called me, although I knew nothing about this until I was thrown into the wizarding world when I was eleven," Harry snorted telling them exactly what he thought of his fame.

"Why can't you say Voldemort without stuttering?" Jason frowned looking at Kingsley.

"Because the entire wizarding world was terrified to speak his name even eleven years after they thought he was dead. They called him he-who-must-not-be-names or you-know-who. Everyone that fought with me were still getting used to calling him Voldemort before the battle ended," Harry explained.

"So…what happened?" Richard asked.

"When I was eleven we realised Voldemort wasn't really gone. He tried to steal something that was hidden at my school, the philosopher's stone, whoever possesses it has the elixir of life, it makes them immortal. I went up against him and the teacher who allowed him to possess his body. That was the first time I killed someone," Harry added softly.

"And what he's not saying is that by doing so he delayed V…Voldemort's return by three years and cut time out of the war, and that said teacher was trying to kill him and all Harry did was touch him, he died because he couldn't stand Harry's skin against his because V…Voldemort was possessing his body and Lily, Harry's mum, activated an old protection spell that protected Harry and was part of the reason Voldemort couldn't kill him when he was a baby," Kingsley scowled at Harry.

"Yes, I touched him and held on until he turned to ash. Anyway my second year was just as eventful, long story short, Voldemort trying to come back using a diary that he stored a piece of his soul into, possessed Ginny, unwillingly this time, and had her set a giant snake on Hogwarts that could kill with its eyes, I fought and killed it, crisis averted again," Harry said quickly.

"And said snake fed extremely poisons venom into your system nearly causing you to die if Fawkes a phoenix hadn't been with you and cried healing tears into the wound. Plus the snake was forty feet long and all you had was a sword and you saved Ginny's life!" Kingsley interrupted.

"Third year wasn't really that big, but fourth year I was entered into a competition called the Triwizard tournament, we had to face three possibly deadly tasks to try and win the tournament, but turns out it was a trick on Voldemort's part, he had one of his servants called death eaters enter my name and then ensure I got through to the last task that was to get through a maze set up with magical traps, he had to ensure I was the first one to touch the Triwizard cup which was a portkey that led straight to Voldemort's ruined body and the traitor that sold my parents out whilst pretending to be their best friend. One of the other champions, the other Hogwarts champion got to the cup at the same time as I did and we argued for a bit before taking the cup at the same time. Voldemort had him killed straight away because he wasn't needed and then had me tied to his fathers tombstone before the ritual to bring him back was started. His father's bones, Wormtail's flesh willingly given, and my blood forcibly taken. I had to watch as he came back through the ritual and then summoned his Death eaters. He made me duel him but our wands wouldn't work together because they possessed the same cores, it brought back the last people he had killed using his wand, Cedric - the other champion - an old man, a witch that had discovered him and my mum and dad…they blocked his view of me and gave me time to escape and grab the cup and Cedric's body to get back to Hogwarts. After that it was mayhem. For a year there were only a select few that believed me when I said Voldemort was back, Voldemort didn't reveal himself or do anything flashy and people were scared as to what it would mean if he was back and so buried their heads in the sand and just called me an attention seeker. And then Voldemort tricked me into going to the ministry of magic where I thought he had Sirius my godfather, but he didn't and it was a trick to get me to take the prophecy about us from where it was stored so that he Death eaters who were waiting for me could take it and he could hear the full thing. Only me and my friends managed to hold him off long enough for the light side to get to us, the Order of Phoenix, a small group the headmaster put together to fight Voldemort, except…" Harry drew off and looked towards Kingsley who nodded.

"Harry's godfather turned up to try and save him but got killed by his cousin. V…Voldemort entered the ministry and possessed Harry's body but couldn't hold onto it long enough to kill him because he couldn't stand the feelings of love that went through Harry when he thought that death meant he would get to be with Sirius and his parents. It was after that that Harry discovered the Headmaster was manipulating him, using him as some sort of weapon to take V…Voldemort down. He planned on letting Harry fight V…Voldemort untrained hoping that they would wipe each other out and if they didn't then he was going to kill Harry claiming that he was a dark wizard in the making. With the help of his friends Harry broke away and formed a new Order of his own called the Myrmidons, most of the Order of the Phoenix went with Harry, myself included. Harry accepted an offer to go and train for a year practically and so while we protected Britain, Harry covered the other places whilst training along the way, Severus and Mad-Eye were responsible for most of it. But we discovered how V…Voldemort survived being hit by the killing curse…" Kingsley looked to Harry who gave a nod and weak smile.

"There is an ancient spell, a ritual, that is so despicable that it is rejected even amongst the most dark of wizards. But Voldemort found it and used it. He split his soul into seven pieces and stored them in objects before placing them in different places and protecting them. The thing I destroyed during my second year was one of these objects, a Horcrux, but there were six more to find and destroy. Bill, Kingsley's partner, is a curse breaker so he took me and my closest to help train us to get through the Horcruxes protection and then destroy them. By the time I was seventeen we were a fully trained, fully functional army fighting against Voldemort in the war, except this time he didn't just stick to Britain. We had to chase him all over the world fighting him and stopping him from making allies whilst destroying the Horcruxes and fighting the Death Eaters that had started mass killings again. The war lasted three years with hundreds being killed on both sides before the final battle where I killed Voldemort and we won, though it wasn't much of a victory. And now we are trying to rebuild our lives and the wizarding world," Harry finished.

"And you think this makes you a murderer?" Richard frowned.

"Murder is murder," Harry shrugged.

"So, me killing the last Ulfric, that was murder as well?" Richard pushed. Harry had heard all about Richard's initial reluctance and guilt afterwards at killing the corrupt Ulfric and Anita Blake's reaction. He scowled just at the thought.

"That's different he was…" Harry drew off at the look on Richard's face.

"Evil, corrupt, deserved to die so that the pack could be happy? Sounds pretty similar to me," Richard pointed out. Harry flustered for a minute.

"But I killed lots of people!" he finally argued.

"You did what you had to, to ensure your world survived and that your friends did, that's not wrong," Sylvie shook her head.

"But…"

"Are you trying to get us to hate you for what you did, because I got to tell you pup, it isn't going to happen. From what you've told us, and we can tell your not lying, you did what you had to do, you were forced into a situation of kill or be killed and made the most of the situation to ensure the right thing happened in the end. You're not a monster, it makes me respect you ten times more than I already did," Rafael smirked throwing Harry's words from the first morning back at him. Before Harry could pull himself together to stop gawping Kingsley let out a yelp and shot to his feet.

"Bugger, bugger, bugger, I was supposed to be in a meeting an hour ago! Tonks is going to boil me alive for being late! I have to go, it was nice meeting you all, look after Harry or you'll have a lot of very pissed off war veterans coming after you!" Kingsley warned with a grin, though from his tone they could tell he was serious.

"Kingsley, don't threaten my family!" Harry groaned rolling his eyes.

"Just looking out for you boss, now I'll see you soon and don't forget to write or floo, we all miss you. Bye boss," Kingsley grinned giving Harry a tight hug before pulling out a crumpled piece of parchment from his pocket and tapping it with his wand, seconds later he was yanked out the room in a blur leaving the werewolves gawping at their first sight of a portkey. Harry however sat fiddling with the bottom of his shirt nervously.

"Harry, pup, you should have told us, we love you having you here and we love you. You're pack whether you like it or not and nothing you could do short of actually turning into this Voldemort bloke could change that. We understand better than any not being able to stick to the normal rules and having to do things you might not like but find necessary," Richard sighed pulling Harry into a tight hug which Harry responded to equally as strongly after his normal initial freeze.

"Sorry I got drunk by the way…and I also apologise for the singing, I have a vague memory of our war songs being on the go," Harry mumbled into Richard's chest grinning when everyone laughed.

"Yeah, something about Voldemort kissing his ass and fearing you," Sylvie snickered.

"Like I said, we had a lot of boring times while we travelled," Harry shrugged unrepentantly.

"Hate to say this to you pup but you stink of sour whisky," Richard said scrunching his nose.

"Is that your not so subtle way of telling me that I smell and to go take a shower?" Harry grinned pulling out the hug.

"I'll have breakfast waiting for you when you come down?" Richard offered with an equal grin.

"Well, when you put it that way…a shower does sound good! Kingsley kept falling over and pulling me with him, I swear I have bruises the size of Africa forming on my arse," Harry grimaced.

"I'm not even going to comment on the fact that you can hold your drink better than a man who looks nearly fifteen years older than you," Rafael snickered.

"Twenty, and I repeat lots of boredom and a bunch of teens that had to face the fact they could die at any second, or were killing people at sixteen, or had finished burying friends and comrades. Drink quickly became a good friend, I think we were pretty close to turning into alcoholics actually," Harry shook his head ignoring the looks he was getting for the matter of fact tone he had taken.

"I can't believe you had to go through that! Your so young, you should have been out enjoying life, not fighting wars," Richard shook his head.

"I'm not a child Richard, I never really have been. My life is what it is and I've accepted that. Can't change anything now, just try and live the rest of my life like the others. Now if you'll excuse me I am aware of how smelly I am myself now!" Harry huffed and heaved himself to his feet before stumbling out the room.

"I had better get home and tell Gwen he's safe and sound. He's more like you than we realised," Sylvie grinned at Richard before waving goodbye as she left the room.

"You staying for breakfast Jason?" Richard asked standing.

"If you don't mind," Jason responded softly.

"Plenty to go around it's no trouble. Oh crap, look Jason would you mind cooking breakfast for you and Harry? I forgot it's the damned collation meeting today and Micah seemed adamant that me and Rafael be there. Not that I really want to go after the revelations this morning, I'd rather stay and make sure Harry doesn't think we think he's a monster," Richard groaned.

"I'll be here and I'll explain, you know he thinks the collation is a brilliant idea, and he knows it's today. Go and I'll keep him company, you only have half an hour to get there," Jason reassured the Ulfric who nodded before pausing and looking closely at Jason.

"You are ok with Harry aren't you? You have been very quiet and look a little off," Richard asked softly worried what it could do to Harry if one of the few friends he had made in St Louis rejected him because of his past.

"What! No, no I'm fine really, I think more of Harry not less, don't worry, now go get ready we'll be fine," Jason smiled. Not scenting a lie Richard nodded and dashed around getting ready despite knowing something was off with Jason, one last look letting the wolf know he wasn't letting it go and Richard, Jamil and Rafael shot out the door leaving Jason making breakfast and listening to the shower running upstairs.

When Harry came down he frowned as he found it unusually quiet. Resisting the urge to draw his wand knowing it was just the effects of talking about the war bringing up his paranoia Harry slipped into the kitchen and was relieved to find Jason there placing two plates of eggs, bacon, sausage and toast on the table.

"Phew I thought everyone had been kidnapped for a minute then," Harry grinned walking fully into the kitchen.

"Richard forgot that it was the collation meeting today, apparently Micah asked him to be there specifically today, they dashed out a little while ago, never going to make it on time though," Jason explained as he placed two cups of coffee on the table and then sat opposite Harry.

"Micah is the wereleopard king right?" Harry frowned still getting used to all the names.

"Yes, he's one of the founders of the collation and Anita's mate," Jason answered softly. Harry frowned at this, Jason wasn't one to be quiet and he wasn't meeting Harry's eyes either.

"Mm," Harry just responded simply not really sure what he thought of this Anita, she was a friend of Jason and Rafael's, but Sylvie wasn't keen on her and neither were Jamil or Shang-Da and she had broken and played with Richard's heart making it very difficult for him to be willing to give the woman a chance, plus she did seem to have a finger in every pie in town. Maybe he could have some ministry people look into her?

"Harry? Is something wrong with the food?" Jason's voice interrupted his thoughts and he looked up quickly.

"No, it's great as always, why?" Harry frowned when Jason quickly averted his eyes.

"You were just glowering at it pretty fiercely, sorry," Jason mumbled.

"Alright, just say it, whatever is bothering you, say it. Is it to do with what I told everyone this morning?" Harry sighed putting down his knife and fork and staring at Jason pointedly.

"I…no…really I'm fine with that…it's just…well…last night…you…and I…and…" Jason spluttered as he turned an amazing shade of red that intrigued Harry. He knew it took a lot to make Jason blush so whatever was bothering him was obviously big, and not to do with Harry's part in the war.

"Jason spit it out, what about last night? Surely my singing wasn't that bad!" Harry tried and was relieved when he got a weak laugh.

"Why didn't you mention me to your friend last night?" Jason asked in a small voice making Harry blink.

"What?"

"Last night, you introduced Richard, Rafael, Jamil and Sylvie but not me, why? I thought we were friends," Jason clarified.

"Jason I was drunk, I probably couldn't spot you because of the four Sylvies, or I got distracted with the amusement of Richard thinking I would have a problem with him and Rafael and then he pulled me up taking my attention away again. It wasn't intentional, and lets face it while I get on with the bloke if I was going to forget someone it would be Jamil, I forget he's around sometimes, Merlin only knows how many times I've had a hex on the tip of my tongue around him and Shang-Da," Harry rolled his eyes.

"So…so it's not because I'm not important to you?" Jason asked in the same small voice.

"Jason of course not! Where would you get that idea from?" Harry frowned confused as to what was going through the wolf's mind.

"Well, I mean…I've been in the hopes but you…and then last night your friend said that you…but…but you never…am I not…is it because I hurt Richard?…I thought I had blown it with Richard but now I've destroyed any chance at…" Jason cut off his rambling as he shook his blonde head holding his eyes down.

"Destroyed a chance at what Jason?" Harry leant back in his chair keeping his eyes locked on Jason's form having a good idea as to what this was about but he didn't want to be wrong.

"Of you wanting me," came the soft reply. Harry sighed and leant forwards resting his head in his hands.

"Jason, you've not destroyed that chance. I like you, a lot, hell you'd have to be blind not to notice how hot you are, or how funny, quick, kind. But you are from my cousin's pack, and you are a good friend, I don't want to ruin that,"

"But…but we might not…I mean I know I don't have a good record but I won't cheat, I want to be with you, I won't ruin this I swear, Harry please just give me a chance, please," Jason begged slipping out of his chair and kneeling in front of Harry gripping his arms. Harry looked quickly at the wolf and let out a groan partly of desire and partly of despair.

"Jason that's not why I am wary of starting something with you. It's because of me. You have to understand Jason, I've been at war for over five years…I'm tired and worn, I'm damaged Jason. I won't do you any good," Harry snapped standing quickly and pulling himself away from Jason.

"What…Harry no please…"

"Jason I used sex to forget! Why do you think I haven't slept with anyone since I came here? Why I ignored your flirting even though I wanted you! I can't do that to you! I won't use you! I won't damage our friendship for that, I won't insult my cousin and you to use your body! No, Jason, I can't! I won't," Harry sighed tiredly as he stilled his pacing and closed his eyes. He tightened them when he felt the smaller figure press hesitantly against his front and wrap his arms around his waist.

"Harry I trust you, I trust you to not to use me like that, but I want to help you as well, I want you to trust me, to let me close to you. Harry, you can't carry on scared of what you might do, trust yourself to not use me like that, you're not at war anymore, you're home, the memories might linger but you can make new ones, please, let me close, stop holding me at arms length. You've let Richard, Rafael, even Sylvie close, now let me be close our way, please," Jason pleaded.

As the words sank in Harry could feel himself resisting them, but the tears that fell down Jason's cheeks broke his fight. He was staring at the hollow of Harry's throat which he was eye level with and wouldn't look up, but Harry could see the trail of tears shimmering on Jason's skin.

Yanking all of his Gryffindor self into a ball he wrapped one arm around Jason's waist while his other tilted his chin up. Leaning down he softly kissed first one eye then the other before placing feather-light kisses down the wet trail the tears had left. Jason made a soft whimpering noise in the back of his throat and pressed closer to Harry's body, his arms tightening as his hands fisted the material of Harry's shirt when the man's lips ghosted over the corner of his mouth.

Harry lingered for a second, hovering between the uncertainty inside himself and the confidence that having Jason in his arms gave him and the desire he could feel for the blonde man in his arms growing with the trust being handed to him. Not only was Jason trusting him with himself and that Harry wouldn't use him, but he was trusting that Harry would protect him from the hissy fit Richard was sure to throw with the blonde wolf for sleeping with his younger cousin. There was something about the parental figures in his life having issues with wishing to delude themselves that Harry was asexual, first Remus and now Richard.

Jason's needing whimper and wriggle brought Harry back to earth, as he made his decision and moved his head to the side to press his lips tightly against Jason's slightly softer, plumper ones.

In fact, now that he thought about it they were a contrast to each other, where Jason was small, almost petite for a man, pale, light where Harry was tall, solid, tanned, dark. Harry slid his hand round from Jason's jaw to the back of his head burying his hand into the shoulder-length fine blonde hair. As their lips slid against each other's Harry nipped at Jason's bottom lip in askance and was almost immediately granted access to taste the wolf's mouth encountering a citrus and chocolate taste that was completely Jason and seemed to drown out Harry's senses. After he had mapped out the mouth underneath his hungrily he pulled away slowly and almost reluctantly.

"Harry?" Jason whimpered softly tightening his arms enough that his werewolf strength kicked in in his fear that Harry was backing off. Glad for the magic running through his veins that allowed him to equal his partner should he wish it Harry smiled and kissed Jason again deeply before pulling back.

"Hold on," he whispered against the swollen lips before wrapping his magic around them both and moving them upstairs in a smooth rush of flames that didn't burn anything it touched besides warming it up a little, Harry much preferred this method to any other wizarding transport. Jason gasped and blinked at the feeling of the rush of magic running around him, more like electricity than the heat of a lycanthropes magic. When he realised they were in Harry room he smiled up at the wizard who was watching slightly nervously for his reaction.

"That could come in handy," he grinned tilting his head back up for a kiss that Harry happily provided. Distantly aware of a grumbling Nagini leaving the room Harry blindly aimed Jason towards the bed as he yanked off the tight t-shirt he was wearing and threw it behind him before moving onto the poured on leather that had been driving him mad for weeks. Jason moaned into Harry's mouth as he felt his trousers being unsnapped and yanked down before he was pushed gently onto the bed, Harry leant over him not losing connection with his lips as his hands found the skin of Jason's hips and started to rub his sharp hip bones with calloused thumbs, wondering at the difference in their size as his hands cupped the small hips.

Pulling away from the blonde's addicting lips his kissed his way across Jason's jaw before moving down to nip and suck on the tender skin of Jason's neck pulling groans and gasps that went straight to his already aching cock. He let one of his hands drift feather-light across Jason's stomach, enjoying the feel of the muscles twitching underneath his light teasing before the back of his hand brushed against Jason's erection pulling a deep, needy moan from the werewolf's mouth as he bit his lip. Grinning Harry placed a gentle kiss on Jason's throat before biting down harshly at the same time as he wrapped his hand around his cock and pumped it yanking a pleasured cry from Jason at the duel sensation.

"I knew you would be a masochist, you look so pretty wearing my marks, telling everyone what you've done and who you belong to. You taste so delicious as well, I could mark you all over, make you cum just from me, placing my ownership on you and you knowing that I was claiming you," Harry whispered hoarsely in Jason's ear and grinned at the throaty response that he got, growing louder when he nipped at the already bruised flesh.

He allowed his fingers to wander further down, tracing his way slowly, sensuously to where he could feel Jason's small pucker fluttering needingly beneath his searching fingers. Without warning, he muttered the lubrication charm to slick up his fingers, and he thrust two fingers into the warm heat as he brought his body down and rutted his aching groin against Jason's. He was slightly shocked when Jason let out a small scream, thinking that he had hurt him and was about to pull his fingers out when he felt something warm and wet on the front of his shirt and jeans and looked down to see Jason's long, slender cock spurting out white ropey trails. Grinning slightly he waited for Jason to come down from his high even as he wriggled another finger inside of the wolf while he was relaxed and whispered the lubrication spell again, snickering as Jason wriggled and scrunched his nose as his channel suddenly became filled with a cool gel.

"Well, that was quick," Harry quipped once he noted Jason was back with him. A dark blush erupted over Jason's cheeks and flowed down his neck as he looked at some point on Harry's shoulder.

"I've been wanting you to touch me for ages, not mention walking around with an almost permanent hard on - especially when you come back from running, it's not my fault I was on edge that much," he pouted causing Harry to chuckle and lean down to press a kiss to the pouting flesh. Pulling his fingers out of the tight channel and swallowing Jason's whimper he waved his hand to dispel himself of his clothes before pulling away from the kiss.

"Considering I've been so mean to you, I'll just have to make it up, won't I?" he smirked as he tugged Jason's legs up around his shoulders and pulled the wolf to the edge of the bed so he could line his almost painful erection up with Jason's hole.

"I might forgive you then, if it's a good apology," Jason responded in a slightly quivering voice as Harry nudged the head of his cock passed the slightly resistant muscles and into the welcoming heat.

"Baby I've not had sex in months, even with lycanthropic healing it's going to be painful for you to sit down tomorrow," Harry grunted as he thrust firmly all the way to his base into Jason and groaned at the feeling of the flexing walls tightening around him as Jason's body worked to get used to the intrusion.

"Promises, promises," Jason panted as his hands gripped onto the sheets.

"I'll make you a deal, I make you come three times in a row, not including the one you just had, and you stay out the way when Richard finds out about this when he gets home," Harry suggested as he pulling back to his tip and then slammed back in, tightening his grip on Jason's thighs for leverage.

"You want me to go home after?" Jason asked slightly panicked before yelling out as Harry pulled out again and moved back in with almost a punishing snap of his hips causing ripples of pleasure to wash over his body.

"I didn't say that, I said you let me deal with Richard, you stay in here until I sort it out," Harry corrected with a slight bite to his tone.

"Ok…ok…I didn't really fancy facing Richard anyway, he'll probably kill me," Jason sighed and then whimpered at the second harsh thrust and firm slap that Harry delivered to his raised arse cheek.

"Have a little faith in me, I'm not going to let anyone harm you, your arse is mine baby," Harry grinned before leaning down and capturing his wolf's lips as he sped up his thrust into the welcoming body, bracing his hands around Jason's shoulders to use them as leverage to thrust deeply enough into Jason that his balls were slapping against Jason's arse with every desperate thrust.

Rapidly the room became filled with panting and grunting as well as the sound of two sweaty bodies meeting each others in a sensuous tempo.

By his third orgasm, Jason could do little but wrap his arms around Harry's neck as his legs lay wide open while Harry continued to drive himself into Jason's almost vice-like hole, his breaths panting out against Jason's damp shoulder as he listened and absorbed the noises and gibbering he was pulling from the werewolf whose scent he was drowning in. His constant brushing against Jason's prostrate causing the werewolf to whimper as his oversensitive flesh hardened again and was met with the friction of being between their bodies, Jason's already spent cum almost burning his erection were it lay pooled on Jason's stomach and smeared on Harry's chest, dribbling in cooling streams over Jason's side.

"Harry…please…can't…too much…going to…ugh!" Jason babbled before Harry suddenly slamming firmly against his prostrate yanking his fourth orgasm from his already trembling body causing him to yell out hoarsely and spurt out what felt like the last of the fluids from his body in a clear stream while above him Harry pumped his hips twice more before he stilled and called out Jason's name as the man underneath him felt a rush of burning liquid spill inside him.

Panting heavily Harry lifted his limp body up, before yanking the sheet down and collapsing properly onto the bed, flicking his hand tiredly to pull the sheet over them as Jason slumped wearily on his chest. Harry's softening cock was still inside Jason as they shared a few lazy kisses until Jason snuggled down and nodded off. Smiling tiredly Harry turned them onto their sides keeping his arms around Jason and tucked firmly against him as he threw a leg over the wolf's bare thighs before allowing himself to nod off as well.


	4. Death Dealer

**Chapter four**

Harry let out a small groan when he woke to the sound of tapping against his window. He was happy, relaxed and warm in his bed and very much aware of the smaller body pressed against his front with their legs tangled in his. At some point Jason had rolled over and now had his back lined up with Harry's front, Harry had his arm wrapped around his werewolf's stomach and was holding him tightly to himself. As he took a deep breath to rid himself of the last of sleep Harry noted the heavy scent of sex and sweat as well as Jason's individual scent making him smile happily.

The tapping picked up the pace causing Harry to let out an annoyed noise before kissing the back of Jason's neck and slipped out of bed and moving across to the window to let in the large eagle owl that was sitting on the window sill giving him a resentful look.

"Sorry, sorry," he mumbled as he let the owl in and detached the large, thick brown envelope from the bird. Taking in its slightly weary look Harry carried it over to Hedwig's cage and threw some more owl treats into the bowl as the new bird gave a tired hoot of thanks and practically dived into the water bowl while Hedwig started grooming its feathers.

As he turned the envelope over he noted that the handwriting was one of the contacts that he had made while staying in L.A a few years ago. He had sent out letters to a few contacts for some information a few weeks ago. Most had come back with small pieces that Harry had worked out anyway or nothing at all, but this one seemed to hold a lot. Eagerly Harry sat on the edge of the window sill and opened the envelope pulling out the thick pile of parchment filled with small neat handwriting.

He couldn't help but grin as he read through the information he had been sent, not only would this help him with his current investigation but the list of best places to get information, dodgy haunts, a list of the high ups in St Louis and a detailed history of the incidents that had happened here would come in very useful, he knew with his level of power and as the Ulfric's cousin he could only stay unbothered for so long before factions started moving in, he had already built up a base of people that he had placed under his protection in exchange for them keeping an eye out on comings, goings and politics for him. He was just reading through the council members 'visit' to St Louis when Jason's voice came from the bed.

"Harry? Why are you over there?" Harry looked up quickly to see Jason sitting up looking delightfully mussed but also a little worried.

"Sorry baby, an owl made a delivery I've been waiting for for a while, got a little wrapped up in what I was doing. I wasn't too rough was I?" he added worriedly as he walked across to the bed but caught Jason's wince as he sat up fully.

"No, it's just I haven't felt this used in ages. It's great," the blond grinned at Harry who shook his head and leant down to tenderly kiss the lips that were still kiss swollen from their earlier activities.

"You really are a masochist. Are you hungry?" Harry asked pulling away reluctantly but couldn't resist placing a kiss to the large bruise that was forming on Jason's neck.

"Mmm, I'm thirsty. What time is it anyway?" Jason beamed as Harry sat on the edge of the bed and handed him the conjured pumpkin juice.

"It's two o'clock, we were out for a little while, here eat this as well," Harry smiled handing over the apple he transported up.

"How come the bruise is still there?" Jason frowned slightly prodding the side of his neck after he took a bite of his apple.

"It's the magic in my body, I wanted to mark you so it made sure it would heal at a slow rate. Sorry I'll heal it away," Harry winced slightly at having let himself get carried away like that.

"No!" Jason grabbed Harry's hand as it went towards his neck and tugged it onto his lap. "No, I like the idea of wearing your mark, leave it, please," Jason mumbled as he blushed again. Smirking slightly Harry entwined their fingers and leant back against the headboard biting into his own summoned apple. "Is that to do with your policing job thingy?" Jason asked as Harry picked up the sheaf of parchment and started flicking through it again.

"Hm, oh yeah, I got in contact with some friends over here asking for some information," Harry nodded absently.

"Will you be safe?" Jason asked softly causing Harry to look around at him. Seeing the fear written in the werewolf's eyes he smiled down at the blonde wolf and tugged him closer as he dropped the papers onto his bedside table. Leaning down he placed light and lingering kisses on Jason's lips as he ran his fingers through the silky fine blonde hair.

"I know it doesn't look like it but I'm more than able to look after myself, it would take something big to be able to kill me," Harry assured the other as he pulled back. Jason sighed happily and started tracing the large scar on Harry's chest. Harry watched with amusement as Jason's features became concentrated as he followed the line of the scar.

"How did you get this?" he finally seemed to pull his courage together to ask.

"One of the Death Eaters used to work as an animal executioner, he hadn't stopped carrying his axe around and managed to catch me before I could kill him. It wasn't as bad as it looks now but there was a potion on the blade, a flesh-eating potion, my magic managed to slow it down but it did a bit of damage before I could get to a healer," Harry explained taking Jason's hand and kissing the searching fingers. It felt odd talking about the war after hiding it for months, but it felt good as well not to hide it from the people that he was coming to care greatly about.

"What…what are we? I mean I don't want to push you into…" Jason started rambling but was cut off by Harry pressing his lips tightly against his effectively cutting off his words.

"I want you to go out with me, officially. But I'll warn you now I'm kind of not used to the normal dating thing and I probably will be…" Harry's warning was cut off by the very happy werewolf that had pounced on him and knocked them both off the bed.

"Thank you, you won't regret it, I swear!" Jason swore as he peppered kisses all over Harry's face. Harry just smiled and shook his head before capturing Jason's hair to hold him still and then guide him back to his mouth so that he could kiss the werewolf again. As he traced his own lips across the plush ones of the other man he couldn't stop the content and warm feeling building in his chest, he had a family of his own now, Richard, Rafael and Sylvie he loved, and the werewolf lying pressed against him who was sucking hungrily on Harry's tongue and kissing back with as much need as Harry was pushing into the kiss.

He slipped one arm around Jason's waist and pulled him closer to his body as he felt himself starting to harden getting a needy mewl from the body covering his and a responding thrust, it didn't take very long for Jason to line himself up with Harry's now heavy erection from all the wriggling Jason had been doing, but just as Jason dropped down onto Harry, the door to his bedroom slammed open and Richard flew in.

"Harry we heard moaning, are you hur…oh my god!" Richard's worried tone turned into a low growl while Rafael, Sylvie and Jamil stood in the doorway staring slightly shocked.

"Wonderful!" Harry sighed reaching up and grabbing the sheet from his bed to cover them both as he stood, holding Jason against him as the submissive wolf let out a scared whimper at the anger rolling off his Ulfric in waves, not helped by the sight of the very rumpled bed, their clothes were thrown across the bedroom or the heavy scent of sex that even Harry could smell.

"Get away from him now!" Richard snarled angrily at Jason.

"Richard calm down, he's not moving until you settle down so you won't do anything rash!" Harry frowned as Jason started shaking, his arms slipping around Harry's waist.

"He's going nowhere near you from now on! I'll kick him out the pack and out of the city!" Richard roared.

"Enough! He's not going anywhere and we are going to finish this when you have calmed down. Now get out my room, go downstairs, sit down and calm down. When you are calm I will come down and discuss this like adults and not while you are throwing the hissy fit you are now. Understood?" Harry snapped in a calm commanding tone that had Richard nodding before he realised what he was doing.

"Very commanding pup, we'll go down and make sure that he doesn't realise what just happened and come storming back up here. We'll send some of the pack up to help comfort Jason, don't worry it'll be ok," Sylvie placed her hand on Jason's arm before turning with Jamil and going downstairs after Richard and Rafael. Harry pulled Jason over to the bed and sat down before tugging him onto his lap and hugging him close as the werewolf carried on trembling violently in his arms.

"Hush baby I'm not going to let him hurt you or throw you out don't worry, your safe, I'm not going to let him hurt you," Harry soothed as he rocked Jason.

"B…b…but he was so angry, he wasn't e…even this angry w…when I s…slept with Anita!" Jason sobbed lifting his head finally so that Harry could see the tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Oh, Jason! Look at me! I'm not going to let him hurt you, you won't be thrown out the pack or the city. Please, trust me?" Harry asked softly as Jason sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"Of course, I trust you," he frowned.

"Then trust me to be able to calm down Richard, I'm not going to let anything happen to you just because Richard's flipping. Rafael will calm him down enough that I can try and get through to him," Harry promised.

Jason made a small noise before leaning forwards for a kiss which Harry supplied quickly twining Jason's hair in his hand as the salty taste of tears hit his tongue for the second time that day. Just as they were pulling apart Harry's bedroom door opened and four people walked in, two were clearly twins with matching blonde hair and jewel blue eyes that put Draco's to shame, a tentative looking man who didn't look like he was much taller than Jason, Harry was struck by the calf-length auburn hair and lavender eyes. Lastly a more confident, tanned man with messy chocolate brown curly hair and matching eyes. Jason made an unhappy noise in the back of his throat and pressed closer to Harry causing him to turn back to the wolf and saw with amusement a flash of jealousy there. Gently he pecked Jason's lips before kissing the mark on his neck pointedly.

"I can't believe you actually slept with your Ulfric's pup, are you stupid Jason or can you just not keep it in your trousers?" the curly-haired wereleopard snorted and then started at the very convincing growl he got from Harry.

"I'm going to go talk to Richard, stay up here…erm watch the trunk though my friend placed some nasty hexes on it for 'safety'" Harry added with a frown. Nodding Jason allowed Harry to place him back on the bed before he yanked his clothes back on and left the room just as the twins and auburn-haired guy climbed on the bed with Jason.

When he got into the living room it seemed that Richard hadn't taken his advise and had worked himself up even more and if it weren't for the wall made up of Jamil, Shang-Da and two more wereleopards blocking the door no doubt things wouldn't have been pretty, Sylvie, Rafael and some small guy with wild curly brown hair and glowing green cats eyes were trying to calm him down.

Gwen was sitting in the corner with a guy with pure white hair, eyebrow and lip piercing's and very little clothes, a woman dressed in a very short skirt, tight top and a lot of make-up and what felt like a vampire with crimson red hair and eyes as green as his own, though he was looking a little drowsy.

Frowning in Richard's direction Harry went over to Gwen and the other three, the two wereleopards clearly being submissive from the way they were shivering at the anger Richard was throwing out and the power the other three were displaying to try and calm him down.

"Gwen take these two up to my room and stay with Jason, erm, the kitchen is a lot darker than it is in here," Harry added to the vampire who blinked drowsily at him but shook his head. Just as Gwen was heading up the stairs Richard spotted Harry and shoved Sylvie roughly out the way. "Richard that's enough! Calm the hell down!" Harry snapped as he helped Sylvie back to her feet.

"He…he…he…" Richard spluttered in his anger. Frowning Harry pulled his own magic around him so the air started swirling around him.

"He did nothing," Harry stated pointedly and watched in amusement as Richard, Rafael and surprisingly Shang-Da all blushed, the green-eyed wereleopard looked uncomfortable while Sylvie smirked.

"He…you're too…"

"If you even think about saying I'm too young I swear to Merlin Richard you will regret it. I've never been a bloody child Richard, so do not start treating me like one. I can make my own decisions and sleep with whoever the hell I like! I'm your cousin Richard, not a pet," Harry scowled.

"I didn't mean that…I…he's…" Richard floundered.

"Richard listen to me, I have not had a childhood, so you cannot treat me like a child. I have been looking after myself since before I could walk or talk, I learnt to survive in a house full of people that hated me and treated me no better than a slave, I survived in a school where one mad man was constantly trying to kill me and another trying to shove me in the path of the first madman, for three years I led a group of over two hundred people in a five-year war, I led one hundred and forty-seven of those into the last battle only a few months ago. I have been sleeping with people since I was fifteen. Tell me which part of that allows you to call me too young and to try and make my decisions for me, along with threatening someone I clearly care about to be left to fend for themselves when they have done nothing wrong?" Harry asked calmly leaving the room deadly silent.

"He'll…He'll hurt you," Richard finally said.

"Richard please, I trust Jason, he's made mistakes but he never set out to intentionally hurt anyone, he's not that type of person. I'm not giving him up," Harry finally decided on as he crossed his arms.

"But his record with relationships is…" Richard snarled.

"Is nothing to do with me or us, and if we are looking into pasts then it should be Jason that you are worried about considering the only thing that I could constitute as a real relationship consisted of sex for comfort or jealousy or just to feel while still having sex with random strangers when not with Charlie, over the last three years I have probably slept with more than enough people to be considered a whore, and know for a fact that it's what a lot of people call me. I really like Jason though and want to have a go at a relationship with him and if you want to threaten him or take it out on him just because you don't want to accept I'm an adult, that's fine, but don't expect me to stick around. I lived in a not so gilded cage for fifteen years…I won't be doing that again," Harry sighed tiredly meeting Richard's eyes so his cousin would know he was serious.

"I wasn't trying to…I don't want you to be hurt Harry," Richard said looking mournful as he looked at Harry. Rafael, Sylvie and the other guy moved away now it seemed Richard had calmed down.

"I know that Richard, but you can't tell me how to live my life or to try and make choices for me, I have made a choice. I really like Jason Richard, I have tried controlling my feelings for him but it clearly didn't work," Harry added with a small smile.

"I'm sure he was very persuasive," Richard scowled.

"There was some persuasion but mostly it was him pushing away the barriers that I had started to build because I was scared of trying a relationship out of a war situation," Harry shrugged calmly.

"I'm not going to win am I?" Richard finally huffed.

"Sorry Richard," Sylvie grinned patting his back.

"I should apologise to Jason for losing it like that at him," Richard couldn't stop the small smile that broke across his face when Harry beamed at him for his words.

"I'll go get them all down," Sylvie said moving quickly from the room.

"I might as well do introductions. This is Micah the head of the wereleopards, Merle is his bodyguard and that is Elizabeth also a wereleopard. This is Damian, a vampire, and this is Nathanial, Zane, Cherry, Caleb and Gregory also wereleopards. Stephan is one of my wolves. Erm, Jason I apologise for the way I acted and want to make it clear that none of the things that I said will I act upon, I was just angry. I have calmed down and see that Harry intends to be with you, I won't stand in the way of your relationship," Richard said slightly formally and tightly but his honesty was clear. Jason nodded but crept across the room to Harry's side quickly who smiled comfortingly and pulled him against his side.

"So how come the big gathering?" Harry asked looking around at everyone in the slightly overfull living room despite the fact it was a large room.

"Actually we have something to ask you about that," Rafael smiled squeezing Harry's shoulder before nodding for him to sit down. Once he did Jason curled up at his legs taking Harry's hand in his and snuggling closer.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked once everyone had found a perch or piece of floor to curl up on, Stephen and Nathanial sat down either side of Jason so they were also leaning against Harry's chair.

"Do you know how to break trimuatives? Richard says you're a wizard," Micah asked quickly causing Harry to blink at the question.

"I take it you are talking about a lycanthrope, vampire, magic-user trimuative?" Harry frowned his eyes automatically flicking in Richard's direction.

"Two, yes. We have told you about Anita," Rafael stated and waited for Harry's nod to continue. "Well for the last year or so we have been concerned about her behaviour. The Anita that we knew seems to have been disappearing quicker and quicker, things that she would have never even thought about doing before, she does now without blinking. Micah asked us to speak with him after the meeting today because he has become concerned as well, it's gotten to the point that he actually fears for his and the other pard members lives. We have talked about it and we agree that there is only one possible measure that we can take at this point, Jean-Claude has agreed with us, as well as his second Asher," Rafael sighed tiredly rubbing his face.

Harry could read on all the faces in the room the pain of the decision that they had had to make but also that they were determined to do it. He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes as he scanned over all the information he could remember on bonds. Everyone sat watching him impatiently until he opened his eyes again and rubbed the bridge of his nose in a manner he had picked up from Severus when he was thinking over an issue.

"Alright. The bond can't be fully removed, if something isn't done about the bonds then should Ms Blake die anyone bonded to her will as well," Harry finally spoke causing loud and vehement arguments to break out throughout the room, Jason stared up at Harry with his arm around Nathanial. "I didn't say that it was hopeless, quiet down!" Harry snapped as they gradually got louder. Everyone stilled and blinked at the man suddenly emitting a powerful and controlled aura to rival Richard, Micah and Rafael's.

"Go on Harry," Sylvie encouraged after a second.

"Alight, the bonds can't be fully removed. You have to understand that when you form a bond like this, it ties and twists your soul around the other bond-mates, that is what makes soul mates so special, they are naturally meant to entwine their souls, others are done artificially if you like, that means that trying to break a bond is ripping away something that has been forced into a small space, it will just fall apart. So we can't fully remove the bonds, but they can be changed…"

"Changed?" the vampire Damian frowned interrupting Harry.

"Yes changed, swapped, transferred. It can be done, but it's not going to be easy, or painless. I will be honest there is a 65% chance that the people involved could die during the ritual, should the people involved not really want to give up the bond then it will result in death, how many are bonded here?" Harry asked already feeling a migraine building.

"We are," Richard, Nathanial and Damien raised their hands.

"Jean-Claude is as well. Me and Jean-Claude, Nathanial and Damien," Richard clarified.

"Alright… _ Nagini scent out the room, find anyone that has a bond with the death dealer, _ " Harry hissed as he lowered his arm to the floor. Everyone stared at him besides those that already knew of Harry's gift. Nagini slipped off his arm and resized to her thirteen-foot self before moving around the room tasting the air around everyone. "Nagini can scent out magic's that even I can't find. Ms Blake is a magic user, she may have set other bonds without your knowledge, not trimuatives but enough to affect you in the event of her death. To remove these bonds is going to be a big process, you are going to have to think of people you want to replace the position Ms Blake holds within your trimuative," Harry carried on. Silence once again covered the room as everyone thought it over, Nagini finally coming back to Harry after circling the room breaking the silence.

" _ The leopard king is also bonded, as is the blonde wolf with your mate, the two male wereleopards with the Geri's mate are bonded, and….I'm sorry young master, your mate is also bonded, _ " Nagini listed as she wrapped herself back around Harry's neck just as his anger burst through causing his magic to swirl angrily around him.

"Harry?" Richard, Rafael and Jason gasped at the sight of the thick black and red aura swirling around him as he clenched his eyes shut and tried to get himself back under control. However, no matter how hard he tried he couldn't fully push his magic back into his core. Suddenly a pair of soft arms were being wrapped around his neck and he opened completely green eyes to stare at Jason who gave him a soft smile before sitting on his knee and nuzzling closer into Harry's body. Slowly Harry wrapped his arms around the smaller waist and buried his face into Jason's shoulder breathing in the scent and allowing the comfort being offered to calm him down.

"I'm ok," he finally mumbled as the last of his aura died away and everyone felt the relieving of pressure in the room.

"Bloody hell that was like when a master vampire gets pissed off! I could barely breathe!" Sylvie chuckled weakly rubbing her chest.

"Sorry…I just…I think I know what she's up to but…Nagini told me that as well as those in the trimuatives with her Micah, Stephen, Zane, Gregory and Jason are also bonded with her. Is there a tenth person that has a close relationship with her that could also be bonded to her? Male?" Harry asked worriedly looking around the room at everyone. Jason's arms tightened around his neck as he and Stephen let out small gasps of fear, Zane, Gregory and Micah all paling.

"Asher," Damien stated glancing at the room and receiving nods of agreement.

"Everyone that you listed has at one point or other felt as though Anita has rescued them or saved them or given them love where they didn't have it before. Asher was left badly scarred after the witch hunts when the church killed his human servant and poured holy water down half his body. He thinks he is revolting and that no one could love him, Jean-Claude and he were lovers but Asher blamed Jean-Claude for a long time, when the council visited Asher came as well, he and Jean-Claude sorted things out but Anita accepted him as he was. We were all emotionally venerable to Anita at least once, that's when she did it…isn't it!" Micah stated rather than asked but Harry nodded anyway.

"This is a lot more serious than I thought. If I'm right what Ms Blake is planning will kill you all. It's an obscure ritual, ten people of the same sex bonded to one of the opposite, on the night of the moon that shines blue the one that bonded them can steal away all the life and power of those bonded to them to make themselves immortal and a mixture of what they have stolen. She will become a lycanthropic, vampiric hybrid. The last person to do succeed in this was thousands of years ago…on Atlanta," Harry watched as understanding and fear crept into everyone's eyes, Jason, Stephen and Nathanial pressing against Harry's body as they trembled with fear.

"How do you know this?" Elizabeth snapped though her pupils were blown with fear.

"Voldemort thought it would be a good idea to try his hand at this ritual three years ago, he managed to get all his bonded and was waiting for the moon before we managed to stop him," Harry explained.

"What happened?" Rafael asked tensely, Richard's hand clutched tightly in his.

"We kidnapped all his bonded and researched ways to remove the bond…" Harry drew off looking uncomfortably at the floor clearly reluctant to carry on.

"Harry, what happened to the bonded?" Jamil asked firmly his eyes flickered over his Ulfric as though planning ways to protect him from the magic before going back to Harry.

"The risk of removing the bond was too high for ourselves, they had willingly entered into the bond with him and were his servants. They were willing to die for him, so the risk of removing the bond forcibly for ourselves was massive. We killed them and ritually burned their bodies," Harry sighed.

"Risk?" Micah frowned sitting down next to Gregory and wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"The transferal of the bond and the ritual itself is highly dangerous, I said there was a 65% chance of failure for those involved, that includes those accepting the bond and those performing the ritual," Harry explained. "Shang-Da, Sylvie will you go and fetch Jean-Claude and Asher, they need to be here to decide who they are going to transfer their bonds to. Richard, Nathanial, Damien I need to set up barriers in your minds so that Ms Blake can't get in and see what we are planning or that we are aware of what she is doing. Jason go upstairs and in my bedside table, there is a pouch filled with green powder I need you to bring it down to me," Harry instructed quickly. Shang-Da and Sylvie nodded and quickly disappeared from the room before Richard could start his argument.

"Harry no, you won't put yourself in danger like this, we allowed it to happen, we'll fix it!"

"Richard the only way you can fix it is to find another wizard, if you actually manage to find someone that will take the risk to perform it then the American Ministry of Magic will become involved and more than likely they will decide it is easier just to kill you all rather than risk something going wrong. Now it's likely for me to be more successful because I'm your cousin, because I have personal feelings involved in this, and because we have a familial connection, I'm not planning on losing anyone I care about Richard, whether you like it or not I'm performing this ritual on you even if I have to stun you to get your cooperation!" Harry snapped. Richard blinked at him for a few seconds before he saw the worry and fear written in Harry's eyes.

"Ok, I trust you to do this, Jason do as he says. You had better set up those barrier thingies," Richard smiled softly. Jason gave a quick nod and shot off Harry's lap and out of the room as Harry stood and then knelt in front of Nathanial who eyed him slightly nervously with startling lavender eyes.

"This isn't going to hurt I promise, it might feel like there is a slight pressure in your head but that's it. Now I need you to bring up an everyday thought or memory, something completely normal like a walk you like to go on, a place you like to go sit at, but nothing with a conversation," Harry instructed gently.

Nathanial screwed his nose up slightly as he thought before he gave a nod looking back at Harry. "Alright just relax and focus on that memory, meet my eyes and carry on thinking it," Harry waited until lavender met his own green before placing two fingers on Nathanial's temples and gave a soft mental push. He could feel the surprise and panic beginning but quickly pushed feelings of comfort and safety through the open connection. Slowly he felt Nathanial relax and then a memory popped into his head, a park somewhere, sitting on a bench, just watching people go by, the sun on his skin making his feel relaxed and content. Smiling softly Harry quickly built the barriers up behind the memory so that anyone entering Nathanial's mind would encounter the memory only. Slowly he tugged away until he could fully remove himself from Nathanial's mind. Nathanial sat looking slightly confused for a second before he looked up at Harry.

"Is it done?" he asked softly rubbing one of his eyes cutely.

"Yup it's done, when she tries to enter your mind all she will see is that," Harry explained as he removed his hands from Nathanial. Turning he found Jason standing there clutching the pouch looking intently between the two.

"Here. What is it, it smells funny," Jason asked kneeling next to Harry and holding out the pouch. Feeling slightly confused at the look Harry glanced at the blonde as he took the pouch.

"It's floo powder, I put it in the fire and I can travel to someone else's house with it or I can make a call, I'll show you in a second," Harry said before kissing Jason lightly and standing to repeat the barrier process with Richard and Damien, the vampire being reluctant to let Harry in his mind until Harry explained he would only see the memory Damien brought up. Eventually, he stood and made his way to Richard's fire, grateful that the man had a real fire and he wouldn't be fiddling around with transfiguring a fake one. He quickly cast an incendio causing a merrily crackling fire to start and threw floo powder onto the flames.

"12 Grimmauld Place," Harry called clearly and heard to rush of flames as the call was activated. Everyone crept closer as they stared at the green flickering flames and so all jumped violently when Severus' head suddenly appeared in the middle of their fireplace.

"Where's the rest of his body?" Jason gasped clinging to Harry's arm.

"Kneeling in front of the fireplace in London," Harry smiled.

"Mr Potter, finally found it within your hectic schedule to actually call us to speak face to face have you? It's been a whole week since the last time you called, you ungrateful little…"

"Sev really he's settling into his new home, stop being so snarky just because you were worried. How are you cub?" Remus' head asked as it appeared next to Severus'.

"I'm ok thanks Remi. Sorry for not getting in contact, I was tracking down the ring over here, managed to get them across to the ministry of magic a couple of days ago. I…this isn't actually a social call," Harry sighed.

"What's happened?" Severus asked quickly. Taking a breath Harry explained everything to the two watching them soak it in.

"We'll collect everything you will need from Diagon and send it via Dobby to you," Remus nodded.

"Thanks, just tell Griphook to charge from my vaults," Harry smiled gratefully. The two men said quick goodbyes before pulling away from the fire letting it settle back to a normal colour. Harry performed the charm to kill the fire before turning to everyone. "The things being sent over will allow us to perform the ritual but you need to choose people to transfer your bond onto, it can be someone who is already bonded to Ms Blake but they will only be able to take one bond on given you are none magical. For example, Damien could pass his bond to Micah making Micah exempt from holding anyone else's bond but Damian would still be able to take…Stephen's. Understand?" Harry asked and got thoughtful nods.

"Can I talk to you in your room?" Jason asked hesitantly.

"Of course," Harry smiled guessing what this was about, he was confused therefore when Jason stopped to grab Nathanial and Stephen before tugging them up the stairs as well with a bemused Harry following behind. Closing his bedroom door behind him he automatically threw up silencing charms so the lycanthropic hearing wouldn't be able to listen in before placing Nagini on her heated cushion in the window.

"Ok, Harry Nathanial and Stephen are both extreme submissives, more so than I am, they need someone to look after them or they are extremely unhappy, Anita has filled that spot until now, but they need someone who isn't a lycanthrope that can spend the time looking after and caring for them. Can…would you be willing to take our bonds? Could you?" Jason said causing Harry to stare blankly at him for a few seconds as he registered just what Jason was suggesting.

"Erm, Jason I don't know Nathanial or Stephen," Harry said softly glancing at the two submissives that were standing awkwardly by the door but had hopeful looks on their faces.

"But you'll like them I know you will. They are my friends, Anita has used them she doesn't treat them right, they need someone who will care for them and look after them without abusing their trust, someone good and strong," Jason said quietly reaching out to take Harry's hand. "Harry, maybe you need to have more than one partner to keep you satisfied and you have more than enough love to offer the three of us,"

"Jason, you were jealous earlier now your suggesting I take two other lovers, what if they aren't interested?" Harry asked as his mind whirled with what Jason was suggesting.

"I didn't like you looking at Caleb, he's…he would take you from me. I wouldn't mind sharing you with Stephen and Nathanial. They need someone to look after them properly Harry, they have been hurt a lot more than me," Jason said softly. "And as for being interested, you really don't see yourself properly when you look in the mirror do you?" Jason grinned.

"Jason…I…I don't want to be a bother, someone else can take my bond," Nathanial said quietly lowering his eyes but not before Harry saw the pain and rejection in his eyes. Giving a small groan at the haunting image of pained lavender Harry walked over to his bed and sat down with a sigh.

"How about we discuss this properly?" Harry said pulling himself together and looking up at them. "What do you want?" Harry asked looking at the two standing hesitantly beside each other.

"I…I've not had anyone that really…that has really cared for me. I thought that Anita cared but…but she just wanted to use me like everyone else…Gregory…he cares…but…but he's proven that orders and self-preservation come first for him. If what Jason said is true, and I trust him, I'd like the chance to be loved and looked after," Stephen admitted shakily staring at the floor refusing the meet their eyes.

"I'm…people…people tend to take advantage of me, I'm…Jason said we were submissive but I'm probably the most submissive thrope in St Louis. I'm…I'm extremely submissive to the point that people take advantage, I need to have someone that will tell me what to do, someone that will be my dominant. I like having someone there, someone to dominate me and someone that will protect me. I like being useful and…and no matter how fake it was I liked having a family, a home," Nathanial's soft confession mixed with Stephen's pretty much sealed the deal and Jason seemed to know it from the grin he gave Harry.

"Ok, what will you need from a relationship?" Harry asked as Jason tugged the two into the room fully and nudged them to sit on his bed. However, at his question, Stephen looked confused while Nathanial looked outright panicked.

"Whatever you want from us," Stephen said as though it was obvious. Harry felt his anger rising again at whoever had hurt these two men so much, and he knew one person who he could definitely punish for it. "I'm sorry, I don't know what you want me to say!" Stephen choked frightened feeling the anger in Harry. He and Nathanial started drawing in on themselves and Harry made a quick mental note to control his anger around these two, they were too damaged and had been too ill-treated to cope with it for now.

"No, I'm not angry at you, I'm angry at the people that have mistreated you and made you think that what you want doesn't matter," Harry said firmly reaching forward and taking one of their hands into his own. With a glance at Jason, he motioned to the wolf and sighed happily as he slipped onto the bed behind Harry and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, burrowing and nuzzling into his back. Cautiously Nathanial and Stephen unshrunk and looked back to where Harry was sitting patiently.

"But…you'll be putting yourself out by taking our bonds," Nathanial said softly, the confusion clear in his voice.

"I'm not being put out by taking your bonds in any way. I am, was, reluctant only because we don't know each other. But if I do take your bonds then first we discuss what you require from the bond, be it just someone to take the bond which will require a certain amount of contact throughout the week or more, either of which I will be happy to be for you. And this includes you Jason," Harry turned his head slightly to the blonde who looked surprised.

"Why me as well?" He asked curiously shifting so his chin rested on Harry's shoulder.

"This makes it different from us trying out a relationship and seeing where it goes, me taking your bond means that we have to have some idea where we are starting from and going with our relationship, it needs to be clarified in the exchange of the bonds," Harry explained.

"So you want to know what we want for the exchange?" Stephen frowned.

"No, all I need to know is if you just want to be friends, lovers, and the like. I want us to agree on what that relationship would entail and expectations on both sides before we go into this. From the sounds of it, people have taken advantage of all of you, you need to have the knowledge and security of what we will have," Harry said firmly not allowing them to mistake his words.

"I…I'd like a sexual relationship if…if Jason…and if it's what you…" Nathanial stammered seemingly completely unused to and uncomfortable with saying what he wanted.

"I don't mind Nathanial, it will be cool," Jason grinned. "Not to mention hot," he wriggled against Harry in the same way he had only a few hours earlier making Harry raise an eyebrow.

"Sure you didn't forget to warn me you're a nymphomaniac?" Harry mumbled getting a laugh from the three of them before he turned to Nathanial with a warm smile. "If its what you want and Jason has no objections I have none, what so ever either. But is it just a sexual relationship that you want or would you like a relationship as well?" Harry asked.

"A relationship?" Nathanial tilted his head curiously.

"Well I can't see Richard wanting me to move out so soon but I can spell in here and turn it into basically an apartment so we have our own space, you would be more than welcome to live here, we would have a sexual relationship, but we would be partners as well," Harry suggested.

"We could live with you?" Three voices said with varying amounts of hope and disbelief making him want to groan.

He was going to do anything to make these three happy, he knew it.

"If that's what you want yes, I want you to be happy and content. Even if you didn't want a sexual relationship I could manage a separate bedroom for you," Harry nodded.

"And if all three of us want a sexual relationship and a relationship with you?" Stephen asked hesitantly biting his lip.

"You're going to kill me," Harry groaned at the move getting laughter from the three.

"Harry has more than enough stamina to manage the three of us. Plus he is a good dominant, and he can protect us," Jason said enthusiastically.

"So to sum it up. You would be happy to take our bonds and have a proper relationship with us, and for us to live here with you?" Stephen asked edging closer to Harry.

"Yes, but with conditions of my own," Harry paused to make sure they were all listening. "If you are having trouble with something you come to me with it, I don't care how small or silly you think it is. If you need anything at all you come to me. I inherited a lot of money so that is never a problem, if none of you wants to work a day in your life again then you don't have to I will pay for anything that you need or want. I won't demand anything of you that I don't think is necessary, so you do as I ask when I do ask, if something about our relationship is making you unhappy you tell me about it straight away, no thinking that you have to put up with it," Harry said slowly.

"And what do you want in exchange for offering all this?" Stephen's eyes narrowed and he looked nervous again.

"That you never lie to me, loyalty, honesty, that's all I ask," Harry said honestly.

"That can not be all you want," Stephen scoffed. With a glance at Jason, Harry leant forwards and cupped the werewolf's delicate cheek and brushed a light, gentle kiss on red lips before settling back enjoying the shocked look on his face while Jason chuckled against his back. Merlin, the wolf was like looking at a beautiful doll.

"Not everyone wants everything and more than you can give. I had very little growing up, those things and just you being here is more to me than anything else you could give me," Harry said softly to Stephen before looking at Nathanial as well.

"Harry's not like any of the others Stephen. He'll take care of us properly and not use us," Jason said seriously. "I want that with you, I want to stay with you, have a future with you," He said to Harry, vulnerability showing in his blue eyes despite his bravado so far. Harry beamed happily at Jason tugging him forward for a deep kiss which Jason mewled into pressing against his back as Harry pressed his tongue to his lips. When they pulled apart Harry was startled to realise that Stephen and Nathanial had crept closer so they were right in front of Harry now. Nathanial reached forward slowly and took Harry's hand before leaning forwards with his eyes locked on Harry as though afraid he was going to be rejected.

Despite the pressure of knowing that this was going to be the decider for what their relationship would be from here on out, Harry really wanted to kiss the beautiful wereleopard and he really wanted this relationship. The four of them, despite not knowing Nathanial and Stephen he could picture them being happy together, having a life together. He wanted to give them a home and family, stability and reassurances that they had clearly never had, and he wanted that for himself as well, a life that he had dreamt of though a little different to what he had imagined. Plus both were incredibly beautiful so the sexual relationship was not going to be a problem. And Jason seemed more than happy and eager for the arrangement.

Slowly and gently he met the pouty lips of Nathaniel, his hand tangling into the silk soft curtain of auburn hair as he kept the kiss chaste but firm. Nathaniel made a small whine at the back of his throat, Merlin the leopard tasted of submission!

Pulling back as slowly as he had kissed him Harry scanned Nathaniel's face and eyes, seeing the contentment, hope, caution and nerves there he knew the answer he was getting from him. Jason snuggled into his neck grinning happily, clearly, he had read the answer in the other's eyes as well.

"We…we could all live here? Like a family?" Nathaniel asked softly lowering his eyes to where he was pulling at the bed covers.

"Yes. Like I said I can turn this room into an apartment, and we would have the rest of the house with the others when we wanted it," Harry nodded.

"I…" Nathaniel started to say before biting his lip.

"Nathaniel, I want you to say anything you want to me, you don't have to stay quiet," Harry said placing enough firmness in his tone for Nathaniel to know it was an order without being harsh.

"The other person in my trimuative, Damien, he's old but he's submissive and he doesn't trust easily, he's been passed around like luggage for hundreds of years now, and he was really really badly treated by his maker. I think that I am his only friend. I can't see him asking or trusting anyone else to take his bond and not abuse it," Nathaniel rambled nervously actually squirming where he was sitting. Smiling Harry reached out and curled Nathaniel's braid around his hand.

"You want to ask if he wants you to take his bond?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but he lives in Anita's house…" Nathaniel's squirming picked up with his nerves.

"And you want him to move in with us?" Harry asked not wanting to put words in Nathaniel's mouth.

"Yes, but I understand if it's not what you want and that you're already taking in us and this is your home so…" Nathaniel blinked when Harry gave a gentle tug to his braid but enough to get the point across for him to stop talking. Harry leant forwards and brushed their lips together gently.

"All of you, I am going to repeat one more time, anything you want, tell me and I will do my best to get it for you if it's in my power. If you want Damien here then he is more than welcome," Harry said firmly looking all three of them in the eyes. When he got three nods in return he smiled warmly. "Ok go and get Damien up here so that you can speak to him more privately," Harry nodded.

"Thank you," Nathaniel beamed excitedly pressing a quick kiss to Harry's lips before hurrying out the room.

"Can I go and tell Gregory that you are taking my bond? He will be worrying about me," Stephen asked after a second.

"You don't have to ask my permission to do things or speak to people, go and tell your brother," Harry smiled.

"Thank you," Stephen followed Nathaniel, pressing their lips together before leaving the room. Jason shimmied around Harry's body and settled into Harry's lap, wrapping his arms around his neck and snuggling in closer as Harry wrapped his arms around Jason's waist.

"Thank you for taking their bonds," Jason said softly.

"You are sure that you are ok with this?" Harry asked.

"Harry threesomes and such aren't unusual in our world. I was honestly thinking of introducing you to them to see if you liked them. I think being the alpha of us will help you with the difficulties you have with having one relationship, plus I'm not exactly vanilla. You will be good for Stephen and Nathaniel, and they are my friends, my closest probably. Seeing you together will be super hot," Jason grinned.

"I just want to make sure that you are really ok with this, you have a big heart," Harry smiled kissing up Jason's neck.

"I like the idea of the four of us living together, five with Damien, I never had a proper family," Jason smiled nuzzling Harry's neck.

"Harry?" Nathaniel asked nervously hovering just in the door, the tall, broad frame of the redhead vampire behind him.

"Come on in," Harry smiled holding his hand out to Nathaniel. The auburn-haired wereleopard crawled onto the bed and close to Harry, shyly taking his hand. Damien stepped into the room, his eyes scanning around curiously.

"Nathaniel informs me that you are taking his bond, as well as Stephen's and Jason's?" Damien asked.

"Yes, and Nathaniel says he thinks you would want him to take yours?" Harry questioned back.

"He is correct, Nathaniel is the only person I trust to take my bond. Nathaniel is also my friend, I do not wish to see him hurt," Damien frowned at Harry.

"I give an oath I have no intentions of hurting him. I just want to look after him and ensure he is happy," Harry said honestly knowing Damien was old enough to appreciate an oath of words.

"In return for what? Plenty of people have taken advantage of Nathaniel," Damien scowled.

"I have no intention of taking advantage of Nathaniel, Stephen or Jason. I will give them the same amount of protection, care and a home and expect nothing but what they want to give in return. I only want loyalty, honesty and not to be lied to," Harry shrugged squeezing his hand around Nathanial when he shifted uncomfortably at the interaction between the two of them. Damian's eyes went to their hands and back up to scan Harry's face before he nodded.

"I will still be watching to make sure that you do not take advantage of him, I could not protect him from Anita because I was also tied to her and because of her animation powers, you, I am not bound to," Damian said to the point.

"I'm glad Nathanial has such a good friend to look out for him. Nathanial says that you live with the Death Dealer as well?" Harry asked.

"Yes, I suppose I will go back to the Circus," Damian frowned.

"Except Nathanial would like to still have you living with him. I am going to be using my magic to turn my room into an apartment, I will be able to make a separate bedroom for you if you would like to stay here," Harry smiled.

"I…why?" Damian frowned.

"I told Nathanial, Jason and Stephen that I would give them anything they wanted as long as I could and I meant it. Nathanial wants to still live with you, it is not much for me to make a second room while I am at it for you," Harry shrugged.

"You are sure you still want me around?" Damian asked Nathanial. The wereleopard hurried over to his friend and gave him a quick hug nodding. "Very well then, I would like to take you up on your offer, but I will provide rent in return for my lodgings," Damian said looking back at Harry after patting Nathanial a little awkwardly but with definite affection on the shoulder. Harry didn't consider arguing, Damian had a lot of pride that had been wounded and crushed enough.

"That is agreeable. I'll do it once the bonds are transferred and my magic is restored, so if you can think of what you would like you room to be like and anything you would like specifically in the living room," Harry agreed. He knew he had done the right thing when Damian's green eyes flashed gratefully.

"Thank you!" Nathanial surprised them all by throwing himself around Harry, and so Jason in a tight hug, as he tensed realising what he had done and went to pull away both Harry and Jason wrapped their arms around him hugging him back for a few beats for allowing him to retreat.

"Alrighty then, guess we had better head back down and break the news to Richard," Harry grinned ruefully.

"He won't be upset will he?" Nathanial asked nervously.

"Have a heart attack that his baby cousin is moving four guys in with him, whether I'm going to be involved with Damian or not, but he won't be angry like earlier, we sorted that out," Harry smiled kissing Nathanial's temple and then Jason's willingly upturned lips. He blinked when Nathanial shyly nuzzled into his side but wrapped his arm around Nathanial's waist as well. He had a feeling that Nathanial was him when he was eleven, starved for positive physical affection and clinging onto it when it was offered. Damian followed them down the stairs trailing them into the living room.


	5. Purification

Rafael was sitting looking hugely amused as he rubbed Richard's back who was looking a little frazzled, Stephen was sitting pressed against Gregory's side, eyeing Richard worriedly, his sapphire blue eyes turning worriedly to Harry when he walked in. Quickly he figured out that Richard had overheard Stephen telling Gregory that he was taking his bond, and Jason and Nathanial's, resulting in the frazzled Richard.

"Go and sit with Stephen," Harry said softly nudging Jason and Nathanial, Damian nodding to Harry before following after Nathaniel leaving Harry to make his way over to where Richard and Rafael where. Throwing up a privacy ward around them to give them privacy Harry perched on the coffee table in front of Richard, Rafael sending him an encouraging look. "Richard?"

"I'm trying not to freak out," Richard said running his fingers through his hair which he had taken out of its ponytail, meaning he had a headache.

"I can see that. How much do you know?" Harry asked.

"That you are taking Jason, Stephen and Nathanial's bonds, are you even able to do that?" Richard frowned.

"I'm magical and I have a lot of power, I could probably take up to five bonds but that would be pushing it. We discussed it and I'm going to take all three of their bonds. I think it will be good for them and for me," Harry said softly scanning Richard's face worried what he was thinking about this.

"Does this mean you're moving out?" Richard asked a little mournfully. Harry thought it wasn't the right minute to think this, but Richard really did look like a kicked puppy.

"We discussed that as well. If you don't mind I would rather stay here with you, but I can turn my room into a small apartment, two bedrooms and a living room to give us all a little privacy, but we would still be living together," Harry suggested nervously biting his lip.

"You'd want to stay here?" Richard asked hopefully.

"If that's alright with you," Harry nodded. Next thing he was crushed against Richard's chest while Rafael chuckled amused.

"I was worried that you would want to move out," Richard sighed.

"That's the only problem you have with it?" Harry asked worriedly looking between him and Rafael.

"Harry if you choose to have a relationship with three other guys we're not going to judge. Me and Richard are happy with just each other, but we are still thropes and we mix with Vampires nearly daily now, we understand different relationships," Rafael smiled putting his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"I think we have a good chance together, and from what Jason, and Stephen and Nathanial, have said they need someone to look after them properly, give them a proper home. I like looking after people, I need to have someone to look after really, having them, it will be good," Harry sighed looking over to where the three men in question were sitting watching them intently where they were all seated on the floor in front of the armchair Harry had been in earlier with Gregory watching unsurely and Damian just sitting neutrally.

"You have a big heart," Richard smiled squeezing Harry's shoulder. Harry looked back to him with a small smile.

"Not really, there is some selfishness there as well, the chance at what I could have with them, I can't turn down," He admitted. "So shall I take a guess on who will be taking your bond?" He grinned teasingly.

"Jamil," Richard said before grinning when Harry cracked up at the putout look on Rafael's face.

"I know you are teasing him, but I am not exactly happy with the suggestion there," Rafael huffed.

"Just teasing," Richard chuckled patting Rafael's leg. Harry turned curiously when he felt something poking at the edge of his privacy spell, finding a dark-haired vampire who had not been here before poking at the place where his privacy spell began with a curious look on his face. Waving his hand he took the spell down and looked at the vampire curiously who stared back.

"That isn't going to work you know, and I don't think Richard would be very happy if with you if you had been able to manage it," Harry said dryly after a few minutes, the startled look in the vampire's eyes amusing.

"He isn't very happy anyway. You did not just try to roll my cousin Jean-Claude!" Richard growled standing up. Rafael also stood not looking very happy at all. When he saw Sylvie, Shang-Da and Jamil all moving towards them he stood and stepped in before a fight could break out.

"You know to alienate me before I can remove the bonds on you and yours is not the brightest idea," Harry smiled brightly deflecting the bite of his words.

"I am allowed to be curious about any new magical beings who step into my territory," Jean-Claude shrugged making Harry realise they were entering into a dance.

"There is being curious and there is outstepping your boundaries. You are in the home of the Ulfric of St Louis who is my blood, this is Richard's territory, were I in yours then making an attempt to roll me would be within your right. But you are not," Harry raised an eyebrow.

"You are versed in Vampire policies," Jean-Claude said sounding surprised.

"You are not the first vampires I have come across or the first Kiss that I have had dealings with. I assure you my politics are refined," Harry grinned.

"You are very interesting Mon Emerauld," Jean-Claude hummed. "Why can I not roll you? Ma…Anita is the only other person I have met that I can not roll,"

"It's a form of Mind Magic, I form a shield around my mind so others can't enter. It's a difficult magic to learn so a lot of witches and wizards don't bother with it," Harry offered the information willingly.

"Impressive Mon Emerauld, and I believe that you are the one that will be swapping the bonds," Jean-Claude's eyes scanned over him with obvious interest making Richard growl in warning, Harry just looked back amused. Jason, Nathanial and Stephen all shifted in his peripheral vision but he kept his focus on Jean-Claude.

"Yes, I will be," Harry nodded sitting onto the arm of the chair.

"It's very kind of you, clearly you and Mon Loup have bonded well," Jean Claude smiled in a flash of white teeth.

"Richard and I have bonded, however, I am not doing this purely out the goodness of my heart," Harry smirked relaxing back slightly.

"Oh?" Jean-Claude raised an eyebrow looking even more interested. The room had become almost deadly silent as they watched the exchange, Richard was shifting unsurely beside Harry.

"I can protect Richard from the break of the trimutive without removing your bond," Harry said factually.

"And what do you want in return for removing my bond?" Jean-Claude asked.

"Saving your life, saving the lives of the bulk of the people that make up your circle within the city, the people that run the coalition and help keep the thropes under control, help weaken the person that is a viable threat to your city, yourself and yours, while helping you save face from the fact that it is your human servant who is such a threat? That's worth quite a lot. I'll settle for you not involving Richard in your affairs that have nothing to do with him being Ulfric and one of the creators of the coalition or anything he doesn't offer his help freely, unpressured and un-blackmailed into. Same goes for Rafael. Jason is no longer your pomme de sang, nor any of my submissives, I do not share. And an open favour to be called in whenever I need it," Harry listed, his eyes sharpening and locking on Jean-Claude's.

"That is rather a lot to ask for Mon Emerauld, not equal with what you are giving," Jean-Claude shook his head.

"Do not mistake my age with naivety, what I am asking is beneath what I am giving, your life alone is worth the open favour. And I am not requesting favours from those others I am removing the bonds from, people who are yours to protect and so your responsibility…including your second," Harry's words were sharp and his eyes flicked onto the blonde who had half his face covered with his curling golden blonde hair.

"You are indeed versed in our politics. Very well agreed, however, the favour will not be accepted if it in risk to my own life," Jean-Claude said firmly.

"Agreed, I don't use others lives to shield my own," Harry nodded standing and holding his hand out.

"So you are taking Jason's bond?" Jean-Claude asked glancing over to where Harry's three were pressed closely together after the display he and Harry had put on.

"And Nathanial and Stephen," Harry nodded, his eyes a challenge.

"You are very interesting," Jean-Claude's eyes crawled over Harry's body again.

"Thank you," Harry smiled brightly. "Have you decided who will take your bond?"

"Asher, and I will be taking his, that is allowed correct?" Jean-Claude asked.

"That will be fine. Have the rest of you decided?" Harry asked making his way over to where Stephen, Jason and Nathanial were sitting. Stephen and Nathanial quickly curled against his legs while Jason perched on the arm of the chair once Harry had sat down.

"We have decided," Micah nodded looking around the room.

"Alright, the first thing I need to do is a purification…considering how many of you there are it's going to be easier if I use the bathtub and just do you one after the other. Anyone that is not one of the bonded or will be taking the bond should leave now," Harry said thoughtfully looking around the group.

"Jamil, Shang-Da take them to the safe house, do not let anyone leave until I call and tell you that it is done," Richard said firmly.

"Merle you as well," Micah nodded.

"Pass the word around quietly to keep low and away from Anita, we don't need anyone caught in the crossfire if she gets wind of something happening," Rafael said.

"Pass around that anyone worried is welcome at the Circus. How long will this take Mon Emerauld?" Jean-Claude asked curiously.

"Honestly I can't give an exact amount of time for this, it hasn't really been done before and recorded, at a best guess, I can say twelve hours," Harry shrugged.

"Ok, best get started then," Richard grimaced.

Everyone watched as those who would not be taking bonds left the house, worried looks on their faces, and once they were gone they all moved to lock down the house and making sure that the wards were fully active.

Almost as soon as they were done with this there was a soft pop, and the men in the room all stared with wide-eyed at the little house elf staring back at them, at least until he spotted Harry and decided to attach himself to his legs, sobbing about missing him.

"It has been a while since I have seen a House Elf, so my memory might be a little faulty, but I do not remember them being so...dressed," Asher said softly, looking curiously at Dobby.

"Master Harry is a good wizard, he is being buying Dobby clothes for Christmas and Birthdays, Dobby is being liking clothes because he is a free elf!" Dobby squeaked letting go of Harry's legs and puffing his chest out as he straightened the tea cosy on his head.

"A free elf?" Jean-Claude asked curiously.

"Yes, Master Harry is being letting Dobby wear clothes, he is getting holidays, and pay!" Dobby beamed at a red-faced Harry.

"Erm...why is that so unusual?" Richard frowned at the small, strange creature.

"Right, we will get into the whole House Elf rights and mistreatment thing, afterwards, we are kind of on a time limit here. Did you manage to get everything Dobby?" Harry smiled at the Elf who beamed back.

"Yes Master Harry, is there anything else you is being needing Dobby for?" He asked bouncing excitedly on his toes once he handed his bag over to Harry.

"I need to preserve my magic as much as possible now Dobby, could you go down into the basement and build a ritual fire, please? It only needs to be a basic one, and could you ensure that there are fire wards around it, and that there is no risk of damage?" Harry requested.

"Dobby is be doing that right away Master Harry!" The House elf nodded excitedly before popping away.

"You're building a fire in the house?" Richard asked concerned following Harry up the stairs to the bathroom.

"Don't worry House Elf magic is one of the strongest magics around, he won't let anything happen to the house. Once we are done you won't even know it was there," Harry assured his nervous cousin.

"We are really going to do this super spell, in a bathtub?" Jason asked curiously as they all trailed after him, Jason nudging his way to the front to watch Harry.

"Accio potions bag," Harry called before looking up and grinning when he saw all eleven men and Cherry crowded in and around the bathroom. "You might want to duck," He chuckled as they ducked in time to miss his potions bag flying over their heads.

"Wow!" Jason scooted closer.

"And yes and no, we are doing the cleansing in here, the main bulk of the spell will be being done in the basement," Harry explained.

"Cleansing?" Micah frowned.

"Ms Blake's magic has left a dark...residue over you, that can interfere with the spell that I need to cast and with my magic. If I cleanse, well purify, you all before the spell then there is a much lower chance of something going wrong," Harry explained as he started grinding up the items Dobby had brought for them.

"How complicated is this spell?" Jean-Claude asked.

"Honestly it's not massively complicated, it is more delicate work, and force of will. I will be breaking and unwinding your bonds from Ms Blake and reattaching them to another person. You need to understand bonds like these are very delicate and very powerful, they were built to withstand being undone and moved around, the fact that your bonds are warped more in her direction makes things even more complicated. Picture it like a Celtic knot, I need to unwind it without snapping it or causing any damage to your side of the bond and then knot it again just as strong but in a different pattern," Harry explained as best he could.

"So, you're going to purify us in a bathtub," Asher asked with some amusement.

"Yup, this is my skill, knocking together rituals and spells out of what we have around us," Harry snorted.

"This is so bizarre," Jason muttered.

"Ok, who is going first?" Harry asked as he finished emptying the ingredients into separate bags, one for each of them.

"I will," Stephen stepped forward before anyone else could, meeting Harry's eyes, his expression nervous, but determined as well.

Harry didn't know Stephen's story yet, but from what he had said about his brother earlier, he could guess that the young man had known betrayal from those he loved most. And yet here he was trusting Harry, trusting him to not hurt him even though he had no clue what would happen.

"Ok, everyone else out, decide what order you're coming in but this should be done privately," Harry ordered.

"You realise that we have all seen each other naked many times?" Cherry huffed impatiently.

"That's nice to know, but that isn't why I am asking this, this is a private moment, it is a purification. Also, don't block the doorway, you can't touch anyone none purified once you have been purified,"

There were faint grumblings but finally, they had all filed out and went into what sounded like Richard's bedroom. And then Harry and Stephen were left alone.

"Ok?" Harry asked softly, not making any move towards the nervous looking wolf.

"Yes...will it hurt?" Stephen asked, and then looked as though he regretted showing that weakness right away. Harry moved to his side and stroked his fingers through Stephen's hair gently, trying to show that he was happy with the openness.

"No it doesn't, it kind of feels like bathing in pop, sort of fizzling and cool," Harry said thoughtfully.

"You have done this before?" Stephen asked looking up at Harry with wide eyes.

"Quite a few times, we had to perform rituals more and more often and we had to be purified before each one, in the end, we got purification tattoos to save time," Harry explained.

"Can...can I see them?" Stephen asked, his blue eyes glittering with curiosity.

"Of course," Harry slid his trousers down and showed Stephen the band of runes around his thigh. Delicate pale fingers reached out and stroked gently over the runes.

"They're raised," The werewolf frowned.

"They had to be burned on," Harry explained, taking Stephen's fingers and kissing the back of his hand, watching delighted as the werewolf blushed brightly and grinned slightly.

"What do I need to do?" Stephen asked.

"Clothes off first...may I?" Harry asked gently, reaching out for the bottom of Stephen's shirt.

"If you want," Stephen looked up at him with those damned big blue eyes that he was already falling in love with.

"I do want, but are you ok with that?" Harry asked patiently, stroking his thumb over Stephen's cheek.

"I...yes, yes I am," Stephen nodded, a confused little crease forming between his eyebrows as he watched Harry.

"Ok," Harry smiled and carefully drew the t-shirt Stephen was wearing over his head. The man was beautiful, he had never really fully been able to use that word before for a man, but he was truly beautiful.

He reached down and undid the tight jeans the werewolf was wearing and carefully drew them down his legs, kneeling at his feet to pull them off, and then carefully pulled off each of Stephen's socks, the werewolf using Harry's shoulder for support as he lifted each foot.

Harry stroked his thumbs over the delicate ankle bones in front of him, before reaching up and peeling the boxer shorts down those pale thighs. He stood and pressed a kiss to Stephen's forehead before turning to turn the bath off.

"Is that it?" Stephen asked.

"Hmm?" Harry turned to see the werewolf looking confused.

"You aren't going to touch me more?"

"No, did you want me to?" Harry asked, confused himself now.

"...I well...no, not with everything...but...you wanted to undress me,"

"Things can be intimate without being sexual, I enjoy undressing my lovers because it is an intimate and personal act, it is a way of being closer to each other in a new way, and it is another way for me to look after you and show you I care," Harry explained gently.

"I don't…" Stephen shook his head looking at Harry for an explanation.

"I want to pamper you Stephen and do things for you, simply for you, so that you feel cared and looked after, so you feel wanted,"

"And what do you get out of it," Stephen narrowed his eyes at Harry.

"I enjoy being the person doing the pampering and the taking care of, I will enjoy it if you are happy, and I will enjoy knowing that you feel like I am doing a good job," Harry shrugged.

"You make no sense to me," Stephen sighed. Harry approached him and hugged him close, cupping the back of his blond head as he held it to his chest.

"I know, but trust me and give me time and you will," Harry smiled.

"I want to, it's just not easy for me," Stephen carefully wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, fisting the material of his shirt in his hands as he pressed his face into Harry's shoulder.

"I understand, it is going to take time, and that is absolutely fine. I will be here, and I will prove that I am not going to hurt you the way that you have been hurt before," Harry kissed his temple.

"It just doesn't feel real, and I don't get it," Stephen huffed.

"The bond will help with that," Harry smiled stepping back from Stephen and drew him towards the bathtub.

"The bond?" Stephen asked looking at Harry bemused as he helped him into the bathtub.

"Indulge me," Harry laughed seeing the look. "And the bond, we will be able to share basic emotions, feelings, well-being things like that,"

"You will be able to feel that from me?" Stephen asked freezing about to sit down in the bath.

"And you will be able to feel mine as well, it is a quid pro quo thing. A proper bond should be," Harry explained.

"So, we will be able to feel each other?" Stephen said curiously as he allowed Harry to help lower him into the bathtub and watching with interest as he poured into the tub one of the mixtures he had made up.

"Yes, it's a way for bond mates to be able to monitor and maintain their bond. If you are bonded, you are bonded for life, being able to share the basic emotions and check in on each other means that it is easier and better to make sure that there are no misunderstandings and to maintain the bond. It will mean I know if you are uncomfortable, or unhappy, it will also mean that I am able to know if you are in distresses or hurt,"

"And the other way around?" Stephen licked his lips trying to ignore Harry's hands washing him down.

"Yes, and the other way around. I am notorious for burying down my emotions to pretend that I am ok, having the three of you actually knowing how I am feeling and being able to call me on my crap, well that will probably be a good thing,"

"And you don't mind us having that sort of power over you?" Stephen shuffled forward so Harry could wash his back.

"Yes, it is a power I am happy for you to have, it is sharing," Harry smiled kissing his cheek.

"Harry?" Stephen said softly.

"Yeah?"

"This is really tickly," He snorted wriggling in the water.

"Nearly done, I promise," Harry grinned.

* * *

"So," Asher drawled where he was sprawled in the bathtub.

"So?" Harry asked as he cleaned the Vampire's legs.

"Not going to say anything about the scars?"

"Would be a little hypocritical of me," Harry shrugged.

"You are very different,"

"You are very vampire like," Harry smirked.

"We could have some fun," Asher leant over the bathtub.

"Thank you, and if it were a different point in time I would be incredibly delighted to take you up on that. Vampires really do make amazing lovers," Harry turned his head and brushed a kiss to Asher's cheek when the Vampire leant in for a kiss. "I have however started something with three amazing men, and I really don't want to compromise that. Especially, when they all have trust problems a mile wide,"

"Hmm. I am quite fond of Jason and Nathanial," Asher lounged back in the bathtub.

"So, that was a test?" Harry smiled lightly.

"I have struggled to interfere before now, but I think that you will be good for them," Asher yawned. "It is very tickly,"

* * *

"This is a little awkward," Richard groaned tilting his head back as Harry washed him down.

"What being naked in a bathtub while your cousin cleans you?" Harry teased.

"Just a little!" Richard mumbled.

"I don't know, I have been in weirder positions, like this one exactly actually. Plus it was even weirder washing down my cousin's naked boyfriend right before washing down my naked cousin,"

"Rafael looked mildly traumatised,"

"He wouldn't make eye contact the entire time," Harry snorted.

"How is it going?"

"Asher tested me, Cherry flirted with me, Zane tried to grope me, Damien was like a bloody statue while interrogating me on my intentions with Nathanial and the type of person I am in the most stoic way possible, Gregory also awkwardly interrogated me on my intentions to Stephen. It's been a whole barrel of laughs," Harry rolled his eyes.

"There there, at least it is nearly done," Richard patted his shoulder. "By the way, I am going to be taking Micah's bond,"

Harry paused staring at him a little shocked. "That...isn't what I was expecting,"

"Me either, I was shocked, I thought he would ask one of his Leopards to take his bond," Richard snorted leaning forward for Harry to wash his back, trying not to wriggle at the tingling feeling.

"Is something….going on?" Harry asked delicately.

"Between the three of us? No!" Richard laughed. "I think that I am the only person that he has that is actually a friend," He smiled sadly. "Plus we have both been through the same ringer with Anita,"

"It is good, that he has you. I think he is going to need you. He is ok, with Nathanial? Jason and Stephen are in your Pack so it avoids that awkwardness, but I am going to have to play nice with Micah, Nathanial will still need him,"

"As long as you treat Nathanial good, he will be fine with you," Richard patted Harry on the shoulder. "I am happy that you have this chance in your life Harry, if it is what you want, then I will always be happy for you,"

"Thank you Richard," Harry said before dunking his cousin's head under the water, laughing as he came up looking like a drowned rat.

* * *

"Hello dear," Jason grinned as he strolled into the bathroom., "Having fun bathing many naked men and women?"

"No I am not," Harry pouted at him, wrapping his arms around Jason waist and drew him in for a sweet lingering kiss despite being aware of the time pressure on them.

"What happened?" Jason laughed when they parted combing his fingers through Harry's hair.

"You do know who was in before you right?" Harry huffed burying his nose into Jason's shoulder.

"Jean-Claude had fun with you huh?"

"Ugh, it was like a weird wet battle of wits while I had to bathe him at the same time," Harry grumbled drawing Jason in for another kiss.

"I have to admit earlier with Jean-Claude was very impressive. I know you are powerful, I can smell it on you sometimes, but seeing it is a whole other thing, and seeing you play power games like that even more so," Jason admitted huskily.

"You like that huh?" Harry smirked as he drew Jason's shirt over his head.

"Definitely,"

"Remind me to take you to one of the MACUSA meetings one time, it is pleasure to wipe the floor with any Ministry morons," Harry rolled his eyes. "I actually meant to speak to you about Jean-Claude,"

"That sounds ominous," Jason frowned a little as he rested his hand on Harry's shoulder when the other man eased his trousers down his legs and helped him step out of them.

"I said that you would not be his Pomme De Sang anymore earlier. If that is something that you still wish to do, I will not stop you, but I will ask that you keep it from being sexual," Harry said softly, green eyes open as he met Jason's blue eyes.

"But you wouldn't like it?" Jason asked stepping into the bath, smiling as Harry helped him sit down in the tub.

"No I won't. I won't lie to you, the thought of you being with him like that is not something that I like, but I am not your owner, I am your bond mate, I wanted to buy the leverage needed while I had the moment, the choice is yours,"

"Don't get angry?" Jason asked nervously making Harry look at him quickly. He forgot sometimes that Jason was a submissive wolf.

"Of course, you can tell me anything," Harry said firmly, raising Jason's hand to his lips before he went back to cleaning him.

"I was Jean-Claude's Pomme De Sang because I enjoyed the power and control he had over me during it, but I needed it as well, I needed and wanted someone to need and want me, to have control of me, but there was no one in my life that wanted me like that," Jason spoke down into the water, nervously swishing his hand through the lightly shaded green water.

"Jason," Harry cupped his cheek and smiled softly in reward when those eyes looked at him. "One, admitting what you need and want is never going to make me angry, and speaking about your past isn't either, I have hardly been an angel, I can't be hypocritical and get angry at you for talking about yours," Harry kissed him lightly, aware of the purification taking place.

"I don't think that I will need to be a Pomme De Sang anymore, having you, and the others, that is enough. But I do enjoy working at the strip club," Jason grinned as Harry snorted.

"Really? I didn't know that!" Harry kissed his nose and then pushed him forward to wash his back. "Working at the club if you want to is absolutely fine, just remember that when the time comes if you don't want to anymore, you don't have to,"

"Thank you," Jason relaxed under the ministrations.

"Stephen and Nathanial," Harry said before biting his lip.

"Do you like them?" Jason asked eagerly.

"I like them, they are gorgeous, and they definitely appeal to my Alpha side, for lack of a better word,"

"You're definitely an Alpha," Jason snorted.

"I just want to make sure that you are really ok with this," Harry said concerned.

"I am ok with this, I want this Harry. The four of us, five with Damian making a family and having a home together, having a Dom like you to look after us and care for us, I want that. I love Stephen and Nathanial, it has never been in an in love way, but I love them, and we have had sex before. Harry, I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't ok with it, I get how serious this bond thing is," Jason rested his soggy hands on Harry's face and made him look at him so he could see the truth in his eyes.

"You are kind of perfect you know that Jason," Harry sighed contently.

"So, you're attracted to them huh?" Jason smirked.

"I would have to be stupid not to be," Harry rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Go on you pest," Harry smacked Jason on his the bum teasingly sending him down the hall in a fit of laughter before he turned to see Nathanial standing nervously in the doorway. He was the last one. "Ready?" Harry smiled holding his hand out to the Wereleopard.

If Stephen and Jason had been hurt in the past, Nathanial had been through hell, it was there on his face for those who knew where to look, it was in his hunched shoulders and uncertain eyes.

But at the same time, this man was amazing and had a brightness and a life to him that he had not allowed his past to dictate, he had a trusting, good heart and a smile that could warm a room.

And he did not allow it to stop him from reaching out and taking Harry's hand, even if it was shy and nervous.

The giggle he received for kissing Nathanial's hand made him want to do it 100 times. He led him into the bathroom and drew him in for a hug, worried about the nerves that he could see on Nathanial's face. The wereleopard seemed unsure what to do at first, but not unwilling, so Harry held on until the tension eased out of the smaller body and Nathanial relaxed into him.

"The ritual…" Nathanial muttered into Harry's shoulder even as he nuzzled closer.

"We have time," Harry assured him.

"But...it is important," Nathanial stammered.

"So are you," Harry hummed, gently kissing his cheek.

"Does it hurt?" Nathanial asked after a few beats.

"No, I have been told repeatedly today that it is tingly. It feels off and fizzy, but it won't hurt you," Harry promised.

Nathanial watched with the same bemusement as Harry carefully and tenderly undressed him, blushing delightfully when Harry kissed his stomach when he bent to help him take his trousers off.

Finally, he was settled into the bath and watched with enchanted lavender eyes as Harry carefully started washing him.

"You know that I have been hurt a lot in the past?" Nathanial said getting Harry's attention.

"When you know what to look for, it is obvious," Harry nodded.

"I tend to just do as I am told, even though I know the consequence are going to be...Our last leader before Micah and...and Anita, it was bad, really bad. They made us all do things that we didn't want to, but me more than the others,"

"Because you are more submissive?" Harry asked carefully.

"A lot of people think that I am stupid because I keep getting hurt, and letting others hurt me," Nathanial frowned down at himself.

"Trust, being a trusting person, I don't think that it is stupid," Harry tilted Nathanial's chin. "A man that I respected got mocked a lot for how trusting he was. He trusted that Remus was a good man and that his wolf wouldn't hurt other people, he gave Remus a chance that a lot of others wouldn't have given him. Severus, he made a lot of bad choices when he was younger because he was angry and hurt, he had the childhood from hell, and got seduced into the wrong things. A lot of people said that he wasn't redeemable, that he was going to betray the trust that the man I respected gave to him, even when he was playing double agent, this man trusted that he was on our side and that he wouldn't betray us. It caused a lot of arguments because a lot of people were sure that Severus was on the other side and was really spying on us, even I thought that he was against us. But this man. He trusted Severus even when everything said not to, when everyone around him said not to, and when he had been betrayed in the past for the trust that he gave to someone that he loved so much that he could never find someone he loved that much again. And he was right to, Severus saved my life more times than I can count, and the prickly bastard is a really important person to me now,"

Nathanial listened intently as Harry spoke, barely noticing as he was washed down with the tingly water.

"You don't think…" Nathanial frowned.

"I think it is amazing, and says a lot about you, that even after being through a lot, you can still trust people, that you still want to trust. And I am glad that you are choosing to trust me, I know that I will need to prove it to you, but I promise that I won't betray that trust," Harry smiled as he carefully washed Nathanial's face.

"I...I don't want to work at the strip club anymore," Nathanial said, curling in on himself a little as he waited for Harry's reaction.

"Well then, you don't have to anymore. You can take as much time as you want figuring out what it is that you want to do instead, even if that means you don't want to work another day in your life,"

"You won't get angry or upset with me if I don't want to work?" Nathanial asked, clearly a little shocked.

"I told you, money is not an issue, it isn't something that we need to worry about. If you want to spend the rest of our lives watching TV, then that is what you will do, as long as you look after yourself and you're healthy," Harry shrugged.

He eased Nathanial forward and carefully started washing down his back.

"What if I wanted to stay at home and look after the house? Cook and clean and...that?" Nathanial asked. And Harry bit back his first 5 responses that probably would have contained anger at the people in Nathanial's life at what was clearly something he wanted badly.

"I would like that," Harry went with his sixth response, kissing Nathanial's shoulder. "Our home," He added.

"Hmm?" the wereleopard looked like a kitten, all big eyes as he looked over his shoulder at Harry.

"It is our home, not the house, and I really like the idea of having you at home, looking after our home, getting to come home to you, and Stephen and Jason," Harry hummed.

"It is really ok?" Nathanial started smiling.

"As long as you are happy, healthy and not doing anything to hurt yourself, whatever you want is ok," Harry assured him.

"And if it is something that could hurt me?" Nathanial challenged, making Harry smile.

"Then we have a conversation about why I am not happy about it, and only if I think that you are in serious, immediate danger will I order you not to do whatever it is. But I think that we can talk things through calmly," Harry supported Nathanial's neck as he dipped the smaller man back so he could wash his long hair. "I do not like simply saying 'you can not' I will always explain why, and if you feel I am not being fair then we will discuss it,"

"You are odd," Nathanial said before flushing darkly.

"Stephen said the same thing," Harry laughed, kissing his nose as he helped him to his feet. "We will make I happy home I think, the five of us,"

"Five?"

"Damien is not just a temporary plan to appease you sweetheart, as long as you and he wants, he will have a place in our home, even when we move out of here and find our own home," Harry smiled drawing Nathanial against him.

"Your clothes!" Nathanial protested but sank into the touch when Harry didn't step back. "I want what you are saying we can have,"

"When I have a plan, I am very, very determined. And I am more than ready to settle down, make a happy home and live with my three beautiful, delightful bondmates, and my bondmate's bondmate," Harry winked at the end bit making Nathanial laugh.

"What if...what if something happens? During this? To you?" Nathanial asked nervously.

"There is the possibility that I won't be strong enough to do this, we will be going last to make sure that you don't feel the backlash of our bond breaking if I die in the ritual, and my friends will come and ensure that it is finished and you are all safe, you will take each other's bonds if I do not make it. But," Harry tilted Nathanial's chin back up when the Werewleopard lowered his head, fear clear in those pretty lavender eyes. "I know my own strength and I believe fully that I can do this, and come out the other end of it, I have too much to look forward to, to fight for now to allow this to finish me," Harry promised.

"I want...if you make it through this, I really want to feel you inside of me, making love to me, taking me. It smelt amazing earlier, the smell of you and Jason, and Jason said you were the best lover he has had, that you blew his mind. I want to feel you taking me apart like that,"

"If my cousin wasn't one of the people waiting for us downstairs I would dirty you back up again right now and just cleanse you again," Harry groaned, nipping at Nathanial's neck punishingly. Of course, he just got a giggle.

"Now you have something else to look forward to," Nathanial grinned shyly.

"I am going to end up accidentally turn Jean Claude into a Donkey with that image distracting me," Harry laughed.

He leant forward with clear intent, pressing his lips to Nathanial's and tasted the wereleopard, deepening the kiss when Nathanial let out a mewing noise and pressed back.

"Now I have something else to keep me going as well," Harry said a little breathlessly when they parted.

"I like cooking," Nathanial offered brightly as they started walking down to the basement, hand in hand.

"Oh?"

"Mm, I know what I want to cook, for our first meal together, as a family, if that is ok?" Nathanial asked.

"Does it include dessert?" Harry asked tugging Nathanial under his arm.

"You like sweet things?" Nathanial blinked up at him.

"The sweetest," Harry grinned.

"Stop flirting with Nathanial! We have been waiting down here for ages!" Rafael complained loudly as they walked in.

"Flirting," Nathanial frowned before blushing. "Oh," He giggled realising Harry had been teasing him.

"He really is sweet," Stephen smiled amused as Jason tugged him over to Harry and Nathanial, they had been waiting near the door for the two of them.

"Pot, kettle," Nathanial snickered.

Harry wrapped his other arm around Stephen, pulling the unsure wolf to his side while Jason latched onto his front. But he was already partially not there, his eyes scanning over the room, taking in everything that Dobby had done, and making sure that it was correct, not that he doubted his friend.

The pyre was standing ready in the centre of the room waiting for him, a soft glow emanating from inside it but not giving off any flames or heat yet, waiting ready for Harry's magic to bond him to the fire.

The runes that he needed had been carved into the wood and the circle had been drawn out ready in chalk.

"Harry?" Richard watched as his cousin turned from the fun-loving and teasing young man, to someone who was an expert in what they did, the experience and power sweeping over his face in a second, his emerald green eyes becoming intent and seemed to see everything at once, scanning carefully for anything out of place.

Harry asked, hugging the men pressed against him, nerves starting to fill the room.

"Well, let's get started then," Harry nodded to the group standing naked and waiting in the basement of his house.

Glancing down at the three men already looking back at him, he steeled himself, ready for this.


	6. Ritual

Harry looked at the three men standing around him, and then quickly to Richard and Rafael, where they were standing nearby watching. He reminded himself why he was doing this, what he was going to be fighting for to complete this ritual. 

Clinging tightly onto that, onto the thought of waking up in a big bed surrounded by Jason, Nathanial and Stephen, having breakfast with them, Richard, Rafael and a stoic Damien, he held that thought in his head for the future. And then he gathered his magic firmly around him preparing himself for the ritual. 

“Jean-Claude, Asher, Damien, have you taken part in rituals before?” Harry asked moving to the centre of the room. 

“Yes we have,” Jean-Claude nodded, standing completely naked liked a chiseled statue of Adonis completely uncaringly in the room. Honestly, they all were. It was a confidence that Harry admired in Vamps and shifters, a confidence that came with being comfortable in their own skin. He was used to being naked around others through pure necessity. 

“If there are any problems, or interference, I’m going to need to rely on you to keep things moving smoothly and quickly then, once I start this we need to move as quickly as possible, I don’t know if she will be able to sense her bonds coming apart, but I don’t want to risk losing control of the ritual having to split my attention if she fights back,” Harry said as he prepared the ritual fire. 

“Ok,” Damien nodded, coming to stand at Harry’s back. When he glanced up he caught the vampire standing there with crossed arms and a set stance, apparently having decided to be Harry’s guard. 

He glanced passed Damien to see Nathanial looking pleased at the interaction and snorted softly to himself. 

“Ok guys, no one freak, big fire about to happen,” Harry warned, meeting Asher’s eyes. He waited for the Vampire’s nod as he braced himself before Harry murmured the ritual words and a fire fire burst to life in the circle of runes Dobby had created for him. He watched it carefully, guiding it until it was at the right power that he needed it to be, and then held it in place right there, the flames crackling brightly, licking the ceiling and the floors, but not burning thanks to the extra protections of Dobby’s magic which could be seen in a soft amber golden glow. 

Stepping back he checked on the runes around them intently, making sure that they were perfect, before he raised his arms, lifting his wand into the air, and allowed his magic to flow from him into the fire, his voice taking on a low, smooth rhythm as the words that he had learned by heart years ago flowed from his lips, twining with his magic in bright flares and twisting with the green flames of the ritual fire. 

The Vampires and Supes in the room watched entranced as bit by bit each of the licks of green flame formed a black outline, Harry’s magic visible to them as it combined itself with the magic of the ritual fire, the smell of the fire being replaced with the strong, electric scent of Harry’s magic as it built and built within the room. 

Jean-Claude and Asher exchanged a look that said everything, this man was a lot more powerful than he had let on. Having him on their side would definitely work for them, they would need to make sure that they formed an alliance with him, especially when it seemed he was going to be linked to the Supes with his bondpartners. 

“Jean-Claude, Asher, Damien and Nathanial, I want to work on your bonds first, with her being a death dealer and you Vamps being technically dead, she is most likely to have the strongest bonds carved into you,” Harry said taking a step back once the fire was a whirling, swirling mixture of green and black, the magic potent and practically tangible to them. 

“That makes sense,” Jean-Claude nodded.

“Jean-Claude and Asher first,” Harry said. 

“I can go first, yes?” Jean-Claude asked, and Harry caught Asher watching the fire. 

“Of course,” Harry nodded his head in understanding of the unspoken request. 

“What is it that we do?” Richard asked softly. 

“We go into the flames, into the centre. You take my hand, and I draw the bond outward into the fire so that it is visible and exposed, I will use my magic to pull away the bond that she has with you, casting her influence into the flames, leaving a bare and open bond, once you see the flames burn black, the new bond mate needs to step in and sit behind me, placing their hands onto my shoulders. If you already have a bond with Ms Blake then I will bring out your bond, do the same and remove her influence, before weaving your bonds together again, reshaping and then sealing it. In the rare occurrence here that one of you do not have a bond with Ms Blake, I will draw out your ability to bond, and weave to one with the open bond around their bond mate, and seal,” Harry explained. 

“And what in the case of myself, Richard and Rafael? Rafael is taking Richard’s bond, but Richard is taking mine,” Micah questioned. “Same with yourself and Nathanial and Damien,” Harry was pleased to see Micah’s unusual cat green eyes flick over to Nathanial, clearly concerned for him. 

“Well, yup it is a nice complicated situation, in the case of you three I will clear Richard first, and then Rafel will take his bond, Rafael will move to sit next to Richard, not touching him but close, and you will step in, sit behind me and I will clean your bonds and seal them to Richard. Then Micah you need to step back out and Gregory step in so I can clean his bond, then once it burns black step back in,”

“And with Nathanial?” Richard narrowed his eyes picking up on Harry's skip over him.

“I will be taking my bonds last, I will join Damien’s bond to Nathanial, but I will leave Nathanial’s bond open, long term that wouldn’t be a good idea, but it is completely safe for a couple of days. Once I have done everyone else, I will then seal myself to Nathanial first, and then Jason and Stephen,” Harry explained. 

“In case you do not make it through?” Asher asked softly, and barely grimaced when Harry turned angry green eyes on him.

“Harry?” Richard demanded.

“I told you that this ritual, it is dangerous, there is a chance that I won’t make it yes, I won’t bond myself to them, only to have them have to suffer the magical backlash of my death. If I die…”

“Harry you sounded sure earlier, when you said that it was dangerous for you, but for you to be taking your bonds last...” Richard stepped forward. 

“If I die, my friends will know, they will come here and they will complete the ritual for me from whatever point that I die at,” Harry finished.

“But you do not believe that you will die, do you? You have made promises to those that you know have been let down in the past. I doubt you would have made those promises if you doubted surviving,” Damien said lowly from where he was having his hand squeezed tightly by Nathanial. 

“It takes a lot more than this to kill me, I just know better than to not have all my ducks in a row, just in case,” Harry smirked. 

“Just in case, you’re referring to your death as just in case!” Richard growled, the wolves amongst them flinching back from the fury they could feel in their Ulfric. 

“Richard, we have talked about this already. Yes this could kill me, but I don’t think it will. I am much harder to kill than that, I promise. This ritual is like 30% Skill, 20% power and 50% determination, and I am very very determined,” Harry said pointedly, looking to him and Rafel, and then to the four men watching him intently, three of whom he would be bonded to, and the other his bondmate’s bond mate. “Besides, I haven’t nearly finished annoying Jean Claude yet,” He added to try and lighten the atmosphere. 

“That I don’t doubt,” Richard snorted weakly as Rafael took his hand. 

“We need to start and get this done. The longer I have her blocked from your minds the more likely she is to notice something is wrong. Vampires first, then I will direct you in and out. Once I start we need to move quickly and efficiently. Nagini,” Harry turned to his familiar. 

She dropped to the floor and elongated herself to her full 20 ft this time and swept to the only door in the room, taking up guard position. 

“We all need to enter the same way, and exit directly opposite where you step into the flames, this is where you will walk in,” Harry ordered them all, waiting for their nods of understanding before he turned to Jean-Claude and asked before any more arguing could take place. “Ready?”

“Ready!” Jean-Claude nodded. 

Everyone watched with held breath as the two stepped into the fire, and only released them when it became clear that they were not burning, even Asher who knew about ritual fires. The two of them paused at the very centre of the fire and then sat opposite each other, just short of their knees touching. 

The green flames turned their skin a rich emerald colour, their black hair soaking up the light of the flames. Harry reached out and Jean Claude took his hand before Harry closed his eyes and dropped his head back. 

He was speaking words, over and over, the sound almost musical, light and harsh at the same time like the swelling of an orchestra. It was odd to the group who were used to hearing everything, when they realised that they could not actually make out the words themselves, they could hear Harry’s voice, but the words seemed to blend into the flames and could not make it out to them. 

Jean Claude suddenly grit his teeth and grunted in clear discomfort just as the flames flashed a brighter green, and they could make out a shadow hovering above the Master Vampire's head in an arch shape, not clear for them to make out, but they all knew what it was, the bond. 

It seemed to drip shadows into the flames, looking heavy and distorted, and Jean-Claude was panting like he had run a marathon as he looked up at it. Harry was muttering to himself now, the musical chant gone, and now it was replaced with a more sharp and harsh chant, determined and rough. The shadows dripping from the manifestation of the bond seemed to be trying to smother the flames around it, dropping into them and spreading, but rapidly the flames surrounded each drop, encircling it and smothering it out, before moving onto the next drop. 

Slowly as they watched the bond started shifting, just slightly but it shifted a little, and the swelling of Harry’s magic within the room grew and grew, his closed eyes twitching behind their lids as though he was seeing so much more than they were, and the shadows dripping from the bond seemed to panic, it stopped dripping down into the flames and instead started twisting itself around the bond trying to protect itself. 

Harry’s eyes suddenly snapped open, pure green, no whites or pupil, just pure emerald green as he grit his teeth and his magic flared brighter, the chant getting harsher as he was clearly starting to fight with the magic, with Anita’s magic to win control of the bond. 

The tug of war seemed to happen for hours to those watching as Jean- Claude’s harsh breathing filled the air and Harry’s chanting, the pain clear on the Vampire's face as he watched Harry intently in his battle. They all felt so useless having to watch and not being able to do anything to help, but suddenly there was an audible snap, like an elastic band being pinged, and one section of the bond slowly faded to reveal a soft grey underneath, the dripping shadows twisting and writhing angrily and the next part of the black started moving away as though Harry were peeling it back now that he had a chip in it. 

The next half an hour was painstaking, they had all took a seat around the basement except for Asher who was pacing around the edges of the fire waiting for his moment to step into the fire, switching between watching the bond slowly become more and more grey as the dripping black was peeled away from it and looking Jean-Claude who had his eyes closed now and was taking deep controlled breaths to obviously try and fight back the pain he was feeling. 

Jason, Nathanial and Stephen were all pressed tightly against each other, Jason was sitting in between the other two holding their hands as they all watched what was happening intently, they were seated so that they could see Harry’s face, watching as strain crossed over his face as he fought Anita’s back to take away some of her bond, but he seemed in control and holding on well. 

Gregory was sitting on Stephen’s other side trying to offer some comfort for his brother, and Damien had seated himself at Nathanial’s other side, also watching intently as Harry worked. The Wizard was unknown and different, he seemed genuine in his words about what he wanted from Nathanial, and he gave the wereleopard hope. He wanted desperately for him to come through this, he was fairly certain that the Wizard could offer Nathanial, and his other friends, everything that he had always wanted.

He just hoped that it wasn’t taken away too soon. 

Richard and Rafel were gripping onto each other’s hands equally tightly, watching every movement, every expression on Harry’s face, watching the bond come apart to reveal what they guessed was the open bond of Jean-Claude that Harry had spoken about. Every now and then Richard reached up to rub his chest, he thought he could feel the bond between him and Jean-Claude changing, moving and being removed. Once Anita’s grip was taken away from Jean-Claude’s bond, theirs would disappear, it was Anita’s magic that held them together, she was the centre point. 

They all sucked in a deep breath when the black seemed to fall away from the suddenly glowing grey bonding arched over Jean Claude, runes clear shining in the light of the fire now it was clean of Anita's influence. As the black shadows hit the fire it burned fully black, and Asher sucked in a deep breath before going to take a step into the fire, and froze up at the sight of the flames. 

Jean-Claude looked up and met his eyes and held his gaze, and sucking in another deep, unneeded breath, Asher stepped into the flames going statue still until he realised that he could not feel any heat from the flames. With shaky, trembling steps he made his way over to the two sitting in the centre of the flames and seated himself behind Harry. 

He did not think that the Wizard would mention the trembling of his hand when it gripped his shoulder, he certainly hoped he would not. Curiously he looked up as the musical chant started again, no clearer even though he was practically inches away from Harry, and he could feel something tugging inside of him, shifting and moving around. 

As he had expected an arch of black mass formed above his head, twisting and writhing, striking out at the green flames around it. It was similar to the one that had formed around Jean Claude’s head but seemed less thick and matted. 

Harry started his chant again, and this close to him Asher could feel the power rolling off him, as well as feeling Anita’s familiar power fighting back against it. 

Anita’s power had always felt cold and blanketing, heavy and like it wrapped him tight and held him firm, it was entrancing and fascinating, it called to the Vampire inside of him, the part that died when the sun came up. Now though, it felt real, heavy and sickly, poison. It felt more solid and tangible than it had before, as though it had been masking itself before now, before Harry drew it out and exposed it. 

Asher looked at Jean Claude’s bond, it was made up of a thick mixture of runic writing linked together, twisting and turning in the air. He felt something give a little in his chest and looked up to see that the black had been tugged back from the beginning of his own arch of runes, revealed a soft yellow underneath. 

The fight seemed to be less with this one, Harry was able to tear away the black shadows quicker this time, without the Trimutive bond, it still took time and effort though, but the shadows were tugged away, peeled back revealing more and more of the yellow underneath. He looked down to see Jean Claude also watching with interest. 

The shadows dripped into the flames, snapping out and lashing out at the green flames desperately as Harry nearly finished pulling it back from Asher’s runes. He could feel it in his chest, and he grunted in pain as he felt the bond inside of him, Anita’s bond, fighting against Harry. It seemed to sink deeper into him, like a werewolf’s claws locking inside of him and refusing to let go. 

It was strong, but Harry had not been lying when he said he was determined. He yanked and Asher had to fight from crying out in pain, but he just managed to grit his teeth in time, panting a little when he could feel the war happening inside himself. 

With one last tug he felt whatever was left of Anita being tugged from him, and the yellow over his head was completely clear as the black shadows dropped into the flames, the green flaring black again. This time being inside the flames Asher realised that the black was whole and consuming, it turned the flames so dark that Asher couldn’t see out through the flames. The rest of the room disappeared. 

As the flames turned back to green Harry’s chanting changed again, this was soothing and calm, flowing and rhythmic, reminding Asher of the sea. He chanted smoothly, and the two Vampires felt as though their hands were now sealed to Harry, the magic swelled even more around them, but it felt warm and comforting as Harry’s tone picked up pace, until it suddenly stopped.

Harry instead stared up with his completely green eyes at the bonds above their heads, this time he seemed to be working on pure will, and slowly several strands of each of their runes separated out and then reached across the divide between them. They paused just before touching each other as Harry started chanting softly again.

It sounded encouraging and hopeful, at least that was how it made the two of them feel, something pure and warm, something like home. Something like the bonds should have been but weren’t. 

Just when the feeling began to become overwhelming, their runes drifted forward and started twining around the main arch of runes, yellow and grey twisting neatly, weaving together seamlessly sliding over to the main arch of runes. 

Everyone watched awed as Asher’s yellow twisted around the grey of the main arch of Jean-Claude’s runes, trailing gently around it like vines wrapping themselves around a tree, not suffocating or strangling, not smothering and consuming in the way Anita’s trace had been, but they could see them bonding together, watching as Jean-Claude’s thin tendrils of grey runes wrapped around the yellow of Asher’s main arch, gently and carefully. 

Those watching felt their chests tighten and their hearts speed up as they watched what was happening in front of them, not able to take their eyes off of it, not able to look away from the bonding taking place. Harry magic was heavy in their air, surrounding them all in the way heat filled a room, but they realised that they could also feel Jean-Claude and Asher’s feelings for each other, the trust, love and care, the history of hurt and pain and loneliness, and the feeling of reconciliation, hope and blooming new starts, especially without the influence of Anita between them, holding them back and restraining them from their relationship with each other. 

Suddenly the bond seemed to snap into place, and the three in the fire sagged slightly as the pressure released from the room, the three of the breathing deeply, even though two of them did not need to breathe at all. 

“I’m sorry, I did not realise that that would happen, I have never done a bond like that before. If I had known I would have tried to do this in a more private way,” Harry apologised. 

“You were not to know, and it is not as though those here do not know how we feel for each other,” Jean-Claude said slowly, feeling a little heavy and drugged. 

“We should move,” Asher said drowsily. The two managed to make it to their feet, and propped against each other staggered out the flames together. 

“Other end of the room, they’re still purified!” Harry called and the two Vampires wobbled a little as they changed direction, turning towards the opposite end of the basement where there was a space, those nearby moving to gather in more of a cluster waiting their turn. Dropping down heavily they dropped their heads back against the wall, holding each other’s hands tightly as they breathed heavily still. 

“Damien, you first,” Harry beckoned before turning more gently to Nathanial. “You need to be ready to step in, when the flames flare black. It seemed to be easier removing the bonds from those who are not in a triad to Ms Blake, that bond is deeper set,” He explained to them. 

Damien hesitated a second before stepping purposefully into the flames and walking to Harry, dropping down in front of him, ice green eyes meeting emerald green. Harry grinned at him, he had a feeling that he and Damien were going to be very good friends, especially with Nathanial’s happiness being important to the two of them. 

The Vampire blinked at him before his mouth twitched slightly into the ghost of a smile, Harry was definitely taking that as a win. Reaching out they joined hands, and the chant filled the room again. 

Damien looked up curiously, and was not surprised when the same arch appeared over his head, dripping and swirling in black shadows, these seemed to try and squeeze around the runes in his arch that you could not even see through their shadows. He felt his chest constrict even as he heard Harry’s voice change into the next part of the chant and felt a tug in his chest as Harry’s magic set to work on the bond. Looking at the bond after seeing what Jean-Claude and Asher’s had become made it even worse seeing the bond that Anita had created with him, the bond that he had created with her, that he had trusted and thought was the first good thing in his life, the first freedom and choice that he had made in so long, and he had trusted the protection that it gave him, he had trusted the freedom he had thought he had gained. 

“Damien,” Harry’s voice was low and rough with pure magic, heavy as though speaking through ages. He looked back down to the wizard and found pure green eyes watching him. “You’re blocking the bond, can I ask what you are thinking about?” 

“I am sorry I will…” He didn’t know what he was thinking that he could change.

“None of them can hear us, and I swear that I will tell no one what you share with me,” Harry smiled a little, no sense of rush or pressure in the Wizard even though he had to be using magic heavily even as they spoke, his eyes proving that. 

“I was thinking about what she has given me, how much better my life is now compared to what it was, even with...that,” He pointed to the mass of shadows with his free hand. “I...my life might be worse, what if it is worse, what if things go back? At least I have the illusion of family and friends and freedom with her,” 

“Illusion is not enough to expect Damien, you deserve so much more than an illusion. That is a golden cage until she decides that you have outlived your use, and then she will kill you. But friends, family that isn’t an illusion, your friends are here in this room, they’re supporting you and will be here to help you when this is done. Nathanial loves you, that isn’t an illusion, that isn’t a lie, he is waiting there outside this fire, waiting to step in for you, waiting to bond himself to you again for a second time, knowing fully this time what that entails,” Harry smiled. 

Damien turned his eyes to Nathanial who was pacing a little just outside the flames wringing his hands together as he tried to make out what was happening. When their eyes met Nathanial smiled brightly at him, supporting and encouraging even though he had no idea what was happening. 

“That doesn’t disappear with her, it will be stronger Damien. And you will have a home with us for as long as you want, that isn’t a temporary placitation for Nathanial, you are his family and part of his home, you will have us, all four of us as family, we will be here for you thick and thin. Nathanial is to be my bond mate, I will be his, you and I will be joined as well in a less literal way. This isn’t the end of something, this is the beginning,” Harry smiled at him when he turned back. The truth heavy in his words, and the image of home, family, safety jumped into Damien mind. “I look after my people Damien, if anyone comes for you I will be by your side, if even Jean-Claude tried to harm you I would rip him apart before I allowed him to hurt you,” 

Damien looked from the powerful young wizard who was ancient in experience, glanced at Nathanial, and then to Jason and Stephen who were looking concerned. And then he looked up again and the writhing, strangling mass. “Do it!” He nodded. 

They both closed their eyes at the same time and Harry started chanting again, everyone in the room breathing out in relief. This time Damien pictured what Harry had given him, the hope he had given him, he pictured a home, with the four young men, people to come home to, to care for and protect...and who would do the same for him. 

He gasped when he felt Harry’s magic tearing away the first part of Anita’s magic, it felt like nails being dug into an infected wound and he groaned a little in pain, but with it came a relief. Harry’s magic swelled and he worked even harder, yanking and tugging, battling against the swirling, dodging mass of Anita’s magic that tried to strike back, shove him away and dodge him. 

It was nearly forty minutes later that the two of them breathed a sigh of relief as the last of Anita’s magic was peeled away and fell into the flames causing it to burn black. Damien opened his eyes and looked up at the soft green runes glowing over his head, clean and pure again. 

He looked back down when Nathanial stepped into the flames and sat behind Harry, reaching out to touch Harry’s shoulder. He watched the Wizard tense for a second before he reached up and touched the wereleopard’s hand, seemingly unable to stop himself, before he settled back and started chanting again. 

Nathanial was looking a little worried as he sat behind Harry, but there was trust in his face as well, and he seemed to take comfort in Damien’s smile. 

The shadows seemed to be even more writhing and twisted around Nathanial’s arch and he felt a shiver of fear as he looked up at it, it was dripping with what looked like slime shadows, thrashing out at Harry’s flames as the wizard set to work. 

“Think about the future to come Nathanial, think about the future that we’re going to have, the future that we can look forward to. It helps,” Damien advised softly, trying to make sure he did not disturb Harry. 

Nathanial licked his lips and nodded, closing his eyes as the pain started making itself known, a soft noise of pain spilling from his lips as he tried to do as Damien had said and think to what he had to look forward to, it was made easier when he felt Harry tensing under his hand at his noise of pain, clearly wanting to stop, to comfort him, even though he forced himself to carry on. 

He was used to pain and being hurt, but this was completely different, it was like he was being stripped inside, the tugging and the fight going on inside of him painful and jagged. Anita’s magic was putting up a fight, and Harry was relentless against her, refusing to allow her to win, his determination firm. 

It felt like hours but finally Nathanial was looking up at the soft purple arch of runes over his head, glowing brightly and cleanly, cleared of Anita’s dirty magic. 

The feeling of the thin tendrils of runes from Damien’s arch touching his own arch was odd, it was familiar and yet so different, they seemed to reach out eagerly, and wrapped around the arch, finding their place again, but right this time, and without her influence. The green twined pleasantly around the thicker purple arch and settled contently, and Nathanial could feel Damien again, the feelings of trust, friendship, family, peace and brotherly love filling him and the room. 

The two of them sighed as their arches disappeared, Nathanial’s more reluctantly, and he made a soft discontent noise as he felt open and exposed. 

“Soon, I promise,” Harry took his hand and kissed it, turning slightly to look at him with his fully green eyes. 

“Soon,” Nathanial smiled shyly. 

“You need to go sit back with Jason and Stephen sweetheart, Damien you head over to Jean-Claude and Asher,” Harry said softly as they staggered to their feet, Damien a little shakier than Nathanial. 

“Thank you,” Damien sighed. 

“No problem,” Harry smiled. “Richard, Rafael you guys next! Richard first,” 

Richard seated himself opposite his cousin, his expression showing a new understanding of the young man he cared for so much already. He was finally getting to see the power that Harry had told him he had, and more, he was far more powerful than he had said, and Richard knew that that was not Harry hiding it, but him honestly underselling himself. 

There was a faint shine of sweat on his forehead now, hints of strain around his eyes from the power that he had let out already, but he seemed unshakable, steady and firm, and his magic felt just as powerful now as it had when he started with Jean-Claude. 

Richard focussed on his cousin and his thoughts about him and Rafael, his family, a family that would now include Jason, Stephen, Nathanial and Damien apparently, instead of the pain that he was feeling, fighting to keep his sounds of pain as quiet as he could not wanting to upset Harry when he saw that each noise made the younger man’s features tighten even as he kept going unrelentingly, not willing to allow Anita to win, refusing to allow her to take his cousin from him. 

His bond took longer to clear of Anita’s vile magic than any of the others, even the Vampires who Harry had surmised she would have a stronger grip of given their natures and her magic. But it did not shock Richard, she had not wanted him, but she had at the same time, and she had wanted to always have a control of his life, he had only seen it since Rafael, but she had wanted her claws into him from the moment she truly became entwined in this world. 

He believed that she had truly loved him at the start, and the woman that he had fallen in love with had had real feelings for him. But she had become corrupted and twisted by the power she had gained, the importance and the respect she had earned she had become obsessed with wanting more. She had allowed herself to become the judge, jury and executioner and she had wanted it. 

He could not pin down a time, the moment that she had changed, where power had become everything and they were just her pawns, but now, looking at the bond he had with her, the sickness of it, he knew without a doubt that that is all they were to her. And whatever part of her that had loved him, did not want to let him go. 

With a groan he slumped forward when the last of her magic dropped into the fire and it burnt black, Harry’s free hand coming up to his chest to steady him as he panted as though he had run a marathon. 

Rafael dropped into place behind Harry, and Richard knew he wanted to reach out and touch him, comfort him from the obvious pain he was in. He offered his lover a smile of comfort, reassuring him as best he could when suddenly warm chocolate runes burst into the air in an arch over Rafael’s head to join his own now clean tawney runes. 

It was startling how easily Harry could pull up the runes from someone who was not bound to Anita, and to see them immediately clean. Harry started his musical, flowing chant right away, and the two of them watched as Richard’s tawney tendril of runes reached across the space over Harry’s head towards Rafel, they moved slowly and surely, so like Richard, and while he felt nervous at taking such a big step in his relationship with Rafael, he was excited for it as well. Marriage, family, home was something that he had wanted for so long, something that he had longed for. A mate.

Rafael was steady and sure, unmoving like a rock. Able to support Richard when he needed it, able to steady him when he wavered. He had taken on Richard with all his baggage, he had helped him in making a relationship with Harry, and when Richard had suggested inviting Harry here to stay with them he had not even blinked agreeing to it, and had welcomed Richard’s family member with open arms and as one of his own. 

The feeling of love, trust, happiness and home that filled the air as he watched his tawney runes wrapping around the chocolate brown of Rafael’s arch had a lot of them smiling, including Harry even as he chanted to ensure that the bond took. 

The three of them sucked in a deep breath when they bond settled into place around them. Rafael dragged himself to his feel and made his way to Richard’s side, finally able to touch him as Richard sagged a little. 

“You doing ok?” Rafael asked Harry gently as Richard sucked in a few deep breaths, feeling as though he could think and breathe clearly for the first time in years.

“Yeah, tired but still going,” Harry grinned a little, aware of the sweat now covering him entirely and the magic roiling around him in waves. 

“Stay strong kiddo, you’re amazing,” Rafael squeezed his shoulder just as Micah dropped down behind Harry taking Rafael’s place.

“Ready?” Harry asked over his shoulder meeting Micah’s intriguing eyes. 

“More than ready after seeing what she has done to everyone,” Micah nodded with determination. 

“Let’s do this then!” Harry looked ahead as Micah’s hand touched his shoulder and he drew up the arch of runes for the Leopard King. 

He was impressed by Micah’s determination, he could feel his anger at the hurt that Anita had dealt to those that he cared about, he could feel the hurt at being betrayed and used and the hurt for the others and what they would be feeling. But there was a steel rod of determination in the Leopard King, something that Harry could taste as his magic set to work fighting against Anita’s influence. 

It was a determination not to be used again, to be free and to stop being a pawn in other people’s power plays. He was done, and he was angry. 

Harry smirked viciously as he picked up his chanting, Micah’s shifter powers had moved inside the other man, so much more tangible and base with the amount of time that he seemed to have spent in his other form, and even though he was in great pain, he shoved his powers behind Harry’s, helping him rip away at the influence of Anita’s powers around his yellow green runes. 

It barely took any time with the two of them working to strip away the influence until all that stood was Micah. The Wereleopard King was panting with exhaustion, and his hand was trembling on Harry’s shoulder, but he squeezed it gently when the last of the influence slipped like sludge from his arch and into the flames causing the now familiar flare of black to happen. 

Harry started right away, drawing out the thin tendrils of runes from Micah’s arch, reaching across the divide trustingly to Richard’s tawney arch. There was a slight hesitation in the air, a hope that this time he would not be placing his faith in the wrong person, but there was friendship and a brotherhood between the two, respect and care that filled the air as they all watched the yellow green twine gracefully around the tawney brown arch and settle into place. 

The air exploded this time, something Harry should have expected with three ultimate Alpha’s bonds settling, and everyone sucked in a deep breath as Rafael and Micah helped Richard to his feet and drew him from the flames and over to where the others were waiting, before Micah returned and stood back at the entrance of the flames while Gregory seated himself in front of Harry. 

Harry took stock of himself even as he worked on tugging away the shadows from Gregory's arch. He was flagging a little, he could feel his reserves of magic sliding away even though he felt fully charged and practically sparking with it. This was the danger of rituals, with the magic in the air and the power that he was using filled him making him feel more and more powerful, many mistook that as the power that they still had, but it was a dangerous illusion and he had to be careful. Severus and Kingsley had beaten it into his head about this illusion. 

He still had Zane’s to complete before he took his own bonds, and he could feel how low his magic was. He would have to give himself a real push to do this, but looking over at his bond mates to be sitting waiting for him with Zane and Cherry, well, he suddenly found a lot more strength.

He did wonder though as Gregory’s orange arch was revealed and Micah dropped down behind him again to take Gregory’s bond, about the relationship between Stephen and his twin. Neither of them were taking each other’s bond, Stephen was trusting Harry to take his bond instead of his twin brother, and from what he had been told already he guessed that Gregory had betrayed and hurt Stephen in some way that seemed to have fractured their relationship. They clearly loved each other, but the trust was obviously just not there when it came down to it. 

As he sealed the bond between Gregory to Micah he dropped forward panting, his hand pressed against the floor to keep himself up as he felt trembling take over his body. He felt the ritual fire flagging and dimming around him as his magic faltered.

“Harry!” Multiple voices cried out, and when he looked up Richard, Rafael and Damien were standing on one side of the fire as close as they dared without disrupting the magic, and on the other side Stephen, Jason and Nathanial were looking frightened as they stood equally as close. 

“Are you ok?” Micah and Gregory steadied him, peering at him in concern. 

“I’m ok, just getting tired. I am fine,” Harry smiled at them.

“Are you going to be able to…” Jason started to say but cut himself off. 

“Oh, I am not done,” Harry said to no one but his three submissives. He was not giving up now. Not when he had come so far. Gregory and Micah stepped out of the flames looking back at him concerned once they were standing with Richard, Rafael and Damien, Jean-Cluade and Asher not far behind. 

Gritting his teeth he straightened himself up back into his position and yanked his magic, commanding it and holding it firm as the fire roared back to life around him. “Zane!” He ordered and the wereleopard hurried into the flames, sitting down in front of Harry and taking his hand and taking a breath when Harry started the chant that now felt familiar to bring into sight his arch, the shadows dripping from it was not unexpected, but at the same time it sent a shiver of panic through him, especially when Harry’s magic started yanking at it and he could feel the stabs of pain in his chest. He was shocked at how careful he could feel Harry’s magic was being though. 

He knew that the wizard was running out of power, he was starting to tire out, you just had to look at him to see that, and he was clearly desperate to get his bonds with Nathanial, Stephen and Jason, he was obviously clinging on to get to that, and Zane had thought that he would throw himself full power at him and rip through Anita’s magic as fast as he could, and Zane had been braced for the pain. 

But even though he was clearly fighting hard against the magic, he was also clearly being careful and taking his time, making sure not to cause unnecessary pain for Zane. 

Zane watched concerned through the whole process as Harry’s face strained until finally ice blue runes were clean of the taint of Anita. Cherry hurried into the flames almost before they flashed back from black, dropping down hurriedly behind Harry and reaching out to touch him. 

Zane closed his eyes when the tendrils of his runes started reaching out for Cherry’s turquoise rune arch, thinking of the hope in Nathanial’s face and in Jason and Stephen’s, all his friends were so hopefully for what they could have with this man. And he wanted them to have it, he wanted them to be happy. 

He had no clue what he was doing, and if he was even helping, but he closed his eyes tight and thought about Cherry, thought about his friendship and his love for Cherry, the woman who made him feel content and the woman whose bed he would always come back to, and he hoped that it would be enough to help the bond take quicker. 

Jason squeezed Nathanial and Stephen’s hands as they watched Zane’s bond sink in and the magic exploded outward into the air, Harry dropped again, and this time they could see him shaking slightly with the exhaustion he was now clearly feeling. All three of them stepped forward and watched him sucking in deep breaths.

Both arms were holding himself up now, trembling though they were, and his bare chest was heaving as though he had run a marathon, the fire was dimmed again and flagging and he was clearly struggling. He dropped his head down, breathing heavily and sucking in heavy, heavy breaths before looking up at them, sweaty tendrils of his black hair clinging to his face now and falling around it, sticking in places to his shoulders and neck, and his all green eyes locked on them as he panted hard. They could all feel themselves held in place as he watched them, soaking them up. 

And then they watched him grit his teeth so hard it must have hurt, and he straightened himself up again, steadying his body, his flames in the ritual fire flaring around him again for what they could tell was him pulling everything he had around him to do this one more time. 

“Nathanial,” Harry motioned. 

“Harry, are you going to be ok?” Jason asked worried when Nathanial hesitated. 

“I’m going to be fine, and I am going to do this, Nathanial,” Harry held his hand out, a hint of command to his tone, and Nathanial stepped into the flames for the second time, taking Harry’s hand and sitting in front of him. 

“Are you going to be ok?” Nathanial frowned.

“Just fine,” Harry kissed Nathanial’s hand before settling back and drawing out Nathanial’s soft purple arch again, the runes shining clearly. Harry winked at Jason and Stephen and again at Nathanial before he closed his eyes and above his head an arch of black runes emerged. “Ready?” He asked Nathanial. 

“Yes!” Nathanial nodded quickly. 

Harry nodded and and started the flowing chant, quickly and eagerly thin purple runes reached out to Harry’s arch and started curling around it, the feelings of hope, caution and attraction filling the room as Harry smiled gently at him even as he carried on chanting, watching carefully until the tendrils were in the right place, letting out a breath he drooped a little when Nathanial’s bonds seemed to sink into his arch, the purple standing out against the black, but unlike the others this time Harry’s arch stayed in place.

He didn’t want to admit that he didn’t know if he would have the strength to draw it out of himself again, and even though it was draining on him and it would be cleaner to the spell letting his arch fade and then drawing it back, but he couldn’t be sure he would be able to do that, he would make it work. 

“Nathanial I need you to move to sit behind me and to the side, make sure that you’re touching one shoulder, Jason,” Harry held his hand out as Nathanial shifted quickly out of place and Jason hurried into the flames where he had been waiting nervously with Stephen. 

He dropped into place and took Harry’s hand, his blue eyes scanning over Harry with his worry written all over his face. Harry kissed the inside of his wrist gently trying to comfort him. 

“Stop being romantic you idiot and get on with it,” Jason said fondly. 

Harry grinned tiredly before closing his eyes and concentrated on bringing to life Jason’s arch. He could feel himself starting to weaken, his powers starting to tremble within him, it felt as though his magic was in a bucket that had had a small hole and had been leaking water out, but suddenly it was pouring out of him faster than he could seal it back up. 

But then…

He opened his eyes when he felt Jason’s hand squeezing his hand tightly, and he could see the fear written on Jason’s gentle face as he looked up at the shadows, sliding and dripping, oozing around the arch of his runes, his fear of what had been done to him written across his face. 

He should never look like that. 

Jason blinked when the black shadows started to pull away revealing a baby blue rune underneath, and once Harry got a hold on it he started dragging away the rest of Anita’s taint and darkness around his runes, determination written like stone in his features as he worked away, sweat pouring from him now. Nathanial smiled at him from over Harry’s shoulder encouragingly. 

Taking a breath his mind flicked through all the moments that he had had with Harry, and the feeling of it not being enough, how much he wanted this bond with the wizard and he wanted what he had potentially with Harry...and he wanted way more sex with him, and he wanted to see Harry having sex with Nathanial and Stephen. 

He wanted to make love to Harry, and to see Harry making love to Stephen and Nathanial. 

Harry let out a noise of success as he finally managed to drag the last of Anita’s shadows away from Jason’s runes and it hissed as the flames burned a dark black. Harry was chanting before the flames finished turning fully back to green, and tendrils of baby blue slid towards Harry’s arch, carefully twining around Nathanial’s softly glowing purple tendrils making sure not to cover them up as the baby blue twisted around. 

Harry smiled gently at Jason as his cheeks burned a little red as the feelings of hope, desire, want, nerves and the bloomings of love filled the room. Jason held on tight and prepared himself, but his head still spun when his bond snapped into place with Harry, feeling so completely and utterly different from how his bond with Anita had felt when Harry had drawn it out so he could finally feel it. 

“Go behind me to my free side, keep your hand on my other shoulder,” Harry commanded, pulling him out of the high feeling in his head. Managing to respond to the order from an Alpha and feeling his bond with Harry settling in his chest, he did as he was told. “Stephen,” Harry lifted his hand for his last bondmate. 

Stephen tightened his fingers around Harry’s as he sat as close to him as possible, his blue eyes scanning over his face. He didn’t look like he was going to be able to make this. 

“Harry, someone else can take my bond later, if something happens to you it will hurt Jason and Nathanial and I’m…” His words were cut off when Harry cupped the back of his head and yanked him forward for a searing kiss. 

“I am not done, and I am not coming out of this without you. It is the three of you,” Harry growled.

“No fair, we got poxy hand and wrist kisses!” Jason whined from behind Harry making him laugh. 

“I will make it up to you,” Harry promised settling back. 

“You better!” The words were cocky, the tone was scared. 

“I’m sleeping like a rock after this, but then, I will have the rest of our lives to make it up,” Harry promised. 

Nathanial and Jason’s hands on his shoulders tightened, and he felt their purple and blue bonds flaring and tightening gently around his arch. Stephen’s hand tightened even though he still looked terrified. 

“Here we go,” Harry smiled before dropping his head back and closing his eyes, drawing out Stephen smothered arch of runes. 

The werewolf tried to smother his soft sound of fear at the sight of the shadows and the feeling of Anita’s magic in his chest. But right away Harry’s chant changed and his magic was rammed against Anita’s fighting it without any sign of the fact his hand, his whole body, was trembling and he was becoming beyond exhausted, his magic was relentless yanking and pushing at Anita’s magic, refusing to allow it to gain ground back when it tried to reclaim the ground that it had lost to Harry’s magic, he held his ground and just kept pushing.

Stephen was used to pain, and he was so distracted with concern for Harry and worry that he wouldn’t be able to do this, that they wouldn’t be bonded that he barely noticed the peeling feeling inside of him. 

He had thought that Harry had left him till last just in case that he couldn’t make it, he would be able to leave Stephen behind like everyone else did, the last priority. His kiss had poked a hole in that theory, the expression on his face and the tone of his voice had said that he was outright wrong. Harry wanted him, just as much as Nathanial, and he was not going to come away from all of this without the three of them. 

He gasped when the flames burned black and he looked away from Harry’s face to look up at the mint green runes arching over his head. 

“Nearly there,” Harry said weakly. He was clearly on his last legs here, his tanned skin now pale. 

His teeth were grit into a snarl of determination as for the last time the several rune tendrils reached out and started to head towards the black, purple and blue waiting for Stephen, the representation of everything that he could have. 

Fear was so very present in Stephen’s emotions as they filled the room, but equal was the hope and the desire to trust, the desire for Harry, and fledgling emotions of faith in the odd Wizard and what he offered. 

With one last massive surge of power the green tendrils met the black of Harry’s runic arch and started to twine around it, around Jason and Nathanial’s bonds carefully not covering them but finding their own place. 

As the bound snapped into place three things happened at once. 

Harry’s magic just seemed to give out around them making the room feel empty.

The fire snapped out of existance, just disappearing.

And Harry’s body hit the floor. 

“He’s breathing,” Jason sighed dropping his head onto Harry’s chest as Richard and Rafael dropped onto the floor next to the three of them and Harry. Nathanial and Stephen had one of his hands each, both holding them against their chests looking down at him concerned.

“I don’t even know what I am looking for!” Richard groaned as he fussed his hands running over Harry’s soaked body. 

“May I?” Damien asked stepping next to Nathanial and gripped his shoulder in comfort, Richard nodded quickly making space for the Vampire who leant over and took a deep breath of Harry’s scent. “I think that it is magical exhaustion,” 

“Master Snape being saying that he will be, he is being saying that Master Harry should be being taking this and you be letting him sleep it off,” Dobby, the House Elf, said popping into the room and holding out a velvet pouch.

He started back a little when multiple hands reached out for it. 


	7. Recovery

Chapter Seven

Harry groaned and wrapped his arms tighter around the two warm bodies pressed on either side of him, and when he concentrated and woke a little more he could feel a third body lying between his legs, resting their head on his stomach.

"Harry?" A familiar voice asked softly, fingers brushing his fringe to the side gently. He hummed tiredly, even though he could feel himself waking more.

"Pass that potion Dobby said he was to take," Someone whispered and there was shifting which made him groan unhappily as the warm bodies left the firm skin to skin contact he had been enjoying, his hands grasping for them. He heard giggling at the groan and could not stop the soft smile on his face at the sound.

He automatically opened his mouth when he felt the press of the vial against it and took the potion. He grimaced as he recognised the taste of the Pepper up potion when it slid down his throat, the gasps from around him as the smoke came from his ears was nearly worth it.

"I'm going to kill Severus for giving you that, I hate pepper up," He groaned opening his eyes and seeing three worried pairs staring back at him.

"You slept for a long time," Jason said softly.

"Sorry, how long was I out for?" He asked, grimacing at the hoarseness of his voice.

"76 hours," Nathaniel said exactly after a quick glance at the clock.

"That wiped me more than I thought," Harry groaned.

"Mr Snape said that a normal wizard would be wiped out and unconscious for at least a week, but you would be pig-headed and stupid enough to defy the normal laws of magic and wake up earlier and that we were to give you that potion as a boost when you did," Stephen recited, looking a little worried when he described Severus' rant.

"Don't worry, that's Severus' way of expressing how much he actually cares for me. Me and Remus are working on words expressing feelings with him like a normal human being," Harry chuckled reaching out and tugging Nathaniel back between his legs, before opening his arms for the other two who quickly crawled back against him. He was valiantly ignoring the fact that they were all half-naked, he wasn't sure his body could face the arousal that would cause.

"All the vampires have gone home, Damien has gone back to the Circus until we get this place sorted out," Jason explained.

"The others have all left too, it's just us, Richard and Rafael," Stephen nodded.

"They have been even more lovey dovey since the ritual," Jason snickered.

"How are you all doing?" Harry asked, looking them over concerned.

"We're fine, we didn't want to leave you by yourself though, so we have taken it in turns to go get a shower or bring food and drinks," Jason admitted. "Nagini and Hedwig both seemed to have been really worried about you too, they have barely left the room,"

"They are anchors for my magic as my familiars, they have been helping center me after using so much magic. You have all been helping do that too by being so close to me, thank you," Harry smiled at them.

"We didn't want to leave you," Stephen said softly, somehow managing to curl even closer to Harry, pretty blue eyes wide.

Harry wrapped his arm even tighter around Stephen and Jason, smiling when Jason pressed a kiss to his chest and Nathaniel nuzzled his stomach.

"How are you feeling?" Jason asked, concerned, his own blue eyes searching over Harry.

"A little kicked around, but not too bad, the wake up definitely helped," He grinned.

"The bond, it feels different than it did with Anita," Nathaniel said softly.

"In what way?"

"When we first bonded it was like a twisting pressure in my chest, and this constant pulling, hovering feeling. This is different, I can feel you and the others, I can feel the bond but it's gentle and...safe," Nathaniel hummed before stretching languorously and pressing closer to Harry.

"Good. That's because the intent behind the bond is different," Harry explained closing his eyes for a second.

"It feels good," Stephen sighed pressing closer to Harry and nuzzling his cheek. He let out a cute little squeak when Harry turned suddenly and caught his lips in a firm kiss, he tightened his arm around Stephen and pulled him closer until the werewolf had melted against him. When he pulled away and turned Jason was already there and pressing their lips together, playfully nipping at Harry's bottom lip before he allowed Harry's tongue into his mouth to kiss him thoroughly.

Lavender eyes were staring up at him hopefully from his belly, and when Harry grinned at him and gave the bond a little tug, Nathaniel crawled up the bed to meet his lips. He was quickly lying bonelessly on top of Harry as the young wizard kissed him possessively and passionately.

"Ok that wasn't a good idea," Harry groaned, making Stephen and Nathaniel look at him with worried eyes, and Jason confused. "Increased blood pressure in the wrong places considering I have just woken up," He dropped his head back into the pillow while Nathaniel giggled on his chest and Stephen and Jason snuggled in again.

"When are you going to be able to move around a little more?" Jason asked gently.

"Give me a couple more hours sleep and I will be able to get up," Harry groaned.

"You pushed yourself so hard, for all of us," Stephen frowned, touching Harry's cheek.

"I think I got a pretty fair deal out of it," Harry grinned.

"No matter how much they get on now, freeing Richard from Jean-Claude using him is important," Stephen nodded.

"He was talking about us," Jason snorted amused, reaching across Harry to flick Stephen on the forehead.

"Oh!" The blonde blushed, but he ducked his head and pressed his nose into Harry's neck where his scent was strongest.

"Has there been any sign of Anita?" Harry yawned.

"Yes, she showed her face at the Circus. She hadn't realised what exactly had happened, she just thought that we had done something to try and freeze the bonds," Jason sighed.

"What happened?" Harry asked, waking himself back up a little more.

"Jean-Claude, Asher and some of the others tried to deal with her. She managed to do something with her magic to get away, they don't know where she has gone," Jason shuddered a little, in fact, all of them pressed closer to him. He reminded himself that each of them had thought that they were important to the disgusting woman, all of them had thought that they would have a future with her.

"How are you all doing?" He asked, rubbing Stephen and Jason's back and tangling his legs with Nathaniel's.

"I'm sad, I trusted her, and she betrayed us all. I think I am sadder for the person I imagined her to be," Jason sighed resting his head onto Harry's shoulder.

"I'm excited as well though, at this, what the four of us could have. You have proven already to be far better than her," Stephen added softly.

"I don't really want to think about her right now. I placed a lot of trust in her, and I thought that I had finally found someone that cared for me, someone that I could trust and could be happy with. And she betrayed that. I don't want to let another betrayal influence this, to darken it," Nathaniel murmured into the skin of Harry's stomach.

"How about I tell you a story then, from one of the places I visited?" Harry suggested.

"Really?" Jason brightened.

"A PG version, no fighting," Harry chuckled.

"Fine," Jason pouted. "Harry's stories are brilliant, he has been all over the place and seen lots of different people and beings," He told the other two who were looking a little confused.

"That sounds really interesting," Nathaniel nodded, wriggling a little to get comfy.

"Ok, so we were in China..."

* * *

* * *

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Richard smiled brightly hurrying over when he realised Harry was with the other three thropes.

"Still a little kicked around but much better," Harry grinned, accepting the hug Richard, and then Rafael, tugged him into. His three submissives were hovering around him, all with varying expressions of worry and disapproval on their faces.

They thought that he should stay in bed for a little longer, but he was going stir crazy lying still, even with three gorgeous men keeping him company, or perhaps that was the problem, he had three gorgeous men in bed with him, and they belonged to him, but he wasn't fit enough to do anything about it.

He desperately needed to get himself away from temptation before killing himself trying.

"Are you hungry?" Richard asked.

"I could make breakfast, I mean if you wouldn't mind, I liked doing it, but I understand if..."

"Could you make me some pancakes?" Harry asked, capturing Nathaniel's hand and pressing a kiss to it, stopping the nervous ramble.

"Yes!" The wereleopard practically glowed in excitement as he hurried behind the counters. Harry eased himself into one of the kitchen chairs, and tugged Stephen down onto his knee.

Grinning happily Jason sat next to him and pressed close to his side, his reproving scowl easing. Stephen wriggled a little unsurely, casting nervous glances at Richard, but when his Ulfric smiled reassuringly he snuggled a little closer.

"That smells amazing Nathaniel," Jason groaned.

"Thank you, I enjoy getting to cook," Nathaniel shrugged a little shyly.

Richard started telling the thropes in the room about the plans for the upcoming full moon, it was going to be a little different with so many of them bonded together now, he was listening absently – after all, this involved his bond mates – but mainly he was focussed on watching them.

Jason was the most dominant of his mates, that was for sure. The older blonde was powerful and confident, he was forward and a survivor, but he was a submissive. He needed comfort and security and wanted someone there to guard over him and look after him. He was full of life and energy in a way that he needed someone there to guide him and put boundaries in place, but love him for who he was at the same time. He was not a traditional submissive and the wrong partner for him could have been seriously damaging.

Stephen was quite submissive, he was obviously hurt and had big trust problems, he wanted to be able to trust though, and he wanted someone to love him and look after him, Harry could feel that longing in every touch and caress that he had given the werewolf. He was still confused by Harry and what he wanted from him, that was obvious, and he was still suspicious of what Harry would take from him, but he longed to be loved and looked after, to be cared for and to have someone to be there for him, unmovingly, his life.

Nathaniel was definitely one of the most submissive people he had ever met, he craved and longed for guidance and control in his life, he wanted desperately for someone in his life to set his boundaries and rules for him to follow along with, but more than that he wanted someone who cared about him and loved him, he wanted to be looked after, protected and treated with love and care.

Really when it came down to it, that was what the three of them wanted, they wanted someone to love them and care for them, someone to make them their priority and look after them. It wasn't much to ask for but it seemed as though it was something that they had found impossible to find.

He pressed his nose into Stephen's neck, softly inhaling the scent of the werewolf as he started stroking Jason's side gently. He could feel his bond with them in his chest, settling and strengthening in place, and it made him feel content in a way that he had not experienced before, something that he had not been expecting to feel as strongly as he was. He needed them, to have them to look after and care for, to have them to focus his attention on. He needed people to care for and love, he needed someone that could love him back completely. They balanced him, and settled him in a way he had never felt before, especially since the war kicked into full force.

"Hmm?" He blinked when he realised that the table had gone silent around him and they were looking at him concerned.

"Are you ok?" Richard asked.

"I was just thinking about the bonds and my guys," Harry grinned dopily, making it clear how he was thinking about them.

Jason smirked happily pressing himself even closer as Stephen let out a small startled noise and pressed himself closer to Harry with a small blush, and Nathaniel was bright red and looking happy as he finished up their breakfast.

"While your head was in the clouds, we were asking if you will be joining us for the Moon?" Richard teased him.

"Oh, yeah I will be," Harry nodded.

"Will it be safe for you?" Jason frowned concernedly.

"Don't worry I will be just fine," Harry winked at him.

"But what if you get bitten or scratched?" Jason pressed.

"Been there done that, didn't turn," Harry yawned and then choked when he found all their eyes on him. "What?"

"You have been attacked by a thrope?" Rafael asked.

"Yeah, Voldemort had werewolves that fought on his side, the Alpha tried to take me out,"

"Where?" Jason sucked in a breath, his hands fluttering at Harry.

"My back," Harry motioned to his right-hand side and chuckled when Jason lifted his shirt and was looking at the scars intently, sure enough, hidden under what looked like he had also been slashed by a knife were claw marks, and under his shoulder blade in a manner that would have snapped the bone was a bite mark.

"Fuck Harry," Richard growled seeing the mess as he and Rafael hurried around the table to look as well.

"This must have hurt," Stephen frowned leaning against Harry so he could peer over his shoulder.

"Badly," Nathaniel agreed, stroking gentle fingers over the scars.

"It did," Harry shrugged, not going to sugarcoat the truth. "I healed pretty quickly though,"

"Here," Nathaniel placed a huge pile of pancakes in front of Harry seeing how uncomfortable he was becoming. Jason let his shirt fall back down but he and Stephen pressed their faces into his neck trying to give comfort as they sensed his discomfort.

"Wow, Nathaniel, these look amazing," Harry groaned looking at the perfectly fluffy pancakes in front of him. "I have to admit American pancakes are way better than British ones,"

"Thank you," Nathaniel blushed darkly as he hurried over to place more plates in front of the others, before quickly settling himself into the chair on Harry's other side.

"Do you want me to.." Stephen started shifting on Harry's knee.

"If you want to move that is no problem, but I am quite happy where I am," Harry smiled gently at him. Stephen narrowed his eyes a little as he tested the bond between them, searching for something more than Harry was saying, but all he could sense was contentment but a stronger desire for Stephen to feel comfortable.

Pointedly the blond rested further back into Harry's stronger body, pulling his plate alongside Harry's and started eating. Harry felt slightly amused but he just started eating his pancakes himself.

"Merlin, Nathaniel, these are brilliant!" He groaned happily before taking an even bigger bite of his pancakes.

"They're nothing," Nathaniel muttered his face bright red.

"If these are nothing, I can't wait to taste something that you think is something," Harry hummed.

"You need to do a roast dinner for us Nathaniel, his homemade roast potatoes are to die for!" Jason enthused around his own mouthfuls.

"How are you two doing?" Harry asked, looking at his cousin and his bond mate.

"Good, really good," Richard looked at Rafael with what could only be called hearts in his eyes. "We have been worried about you though kiddo, it is good to see you up and about," he turned to look at his cousin.

"It was a real push at the end there," Harry admitted.

"A push? You have been unconscious for 3 days and you say it was a push," Rafael snorted.

"It was hell of impressive though Harry," Richard said awed.

"You're more powerful than you let on," Rafael nodded.

"Way more powerful," Jason sighed.

"Not that much more powerful," Harry muttered, to the amusement of them all blushing darkly.

"Harry we could taste your magic!" Jason laughed.

"And we can feel it now," Stephen added shyly.

"It's amazing, her magic felt cold, like swallowed you whole, your magic is like...electricity, it is bright and feels like it gives me energy," Nathaniel smiled shyly at him from under his eyelashes.

"Guys," Harry groaned pressing his face between Stephen's shoulder blades.

"Aww don't go all shy on us, after that display of power you were holding back on us, we're going to give you some teasing," Richard grinned.

"I think Jean-Claude went rock hard in seconds," Jason snickered.

"Ugh Jason, I am eating," Richard grumbled, when his wolf looked at him concerned the Ulfric smiled teasingly at him. "New house rule, no mentioning Jean Claude and sex, particularly his dick at the breakfast table,"

"Seconded!" Rafael chortled.

"Thirded," Harry laughed. "Sorry love, but I have a feeling he is going to be a pain in my arse without any of the fun or pleasure,"

"I…"

"Don't even think about it," Harry rolled his eyes covering Jason's mouth knowing something sexual was about to come out his mouth. "Don't you encourage him," He gave a gentle tug to Nathaniel's braid as the wereleopard snickered.

"We need to get going, the coalition is meeting today, are you guys going to all stay here today?" Richard asked.

"I would rather we all did," Harry said softly looking over the three of them.

"And if we don't want to?" Stephen asked even though his voice trembled slightly, tensing in Harry's arms.

"I would like to know where you're going and for you to check in with me, Anita is still out there somewhere, if I don't hear from you I will be apparating to check with you," Harry shrugged. He was aware of Rafael tugging Richard away.

"But you're recovering," Stephen frowned.

"Don't care, I won't risk you being hurt, just check in with me every hour wherever it is you want to go. Or is it that you just want to poke at my boundaries?" Harry raised his eyebrow settling back into his seat and watching Stephen with intent green eyes.

"I...don't want to leave you," Stephen admitted lowering his eyes.

"I don't mind you testing boundaries Stephen, especially while we are figuring all this out, I will get angry if you put yourself in danger to test those boundaries though, like going out for the sake of going out to push against me," Harry cupped the back of the werewolf's slender neck.

"Are you angry now?" Stephen asked with a lightly trembling voice, the worry he was feeling spilling over the bond.

Harry pulled him down by the grip he had on the back of his neck, tightening his grip slightly, and pressing feelings of calmness and understanding through the bond, not only to Stephen but to Jason and Nathaniel as well feeling their own concern and worry in their bonds. He pressed his lips to Stephen's plump red lips, keeping it gentle and warm, massaging Stephen's lips gently and slowly until he felt the other move against him, melting into his body and kissing him back, wrapping his arms around Harry's shoulders.

"I'm not angry," Harry promised.

"Sorry I…"

"Enough of that, nothing to apologize for," Harry shook his head combing his fingers through Stephen's blond hair.

"Write up a list of anything that you want bringing back," Richard said walking back in tugging his coat on.

"Am I ok to put some groceries down?" Nathaniel asked nervously.

"We would be stupid not to take advantage of your cooking when you're willing to do it," Richard laughed placing a pad and pen in front of the wereleopard.

Harry gently stroked Stephen's thigh feeling the lingering tension in his wolf while he turned to his other wolf. Jason was watching Harry with a slightly intense look that Harry couldn't read on his face, but a quick search of the bond found lingering arousal there. Rolling his eyes and chuckling he couldn't help but feel amused and a little aroused himself at the fact that Jason clearly found him being strict but gentle hot.

"Right that is us ready to go," Rafael tucked the list into his jeans pocket while Richard pouted at him for taking it before he could. "You always lose things from your pocket, don't pout at me," He snorted.

"Text when you get there and where you're leaving the Coalition and the shops," Harry requested.

"What but…"

"I will also apparate to you as well if I don't hear from you!" Harry warned.

"Ok, ok!" Richard huffed holding his hands up coming around the table to kiss Harry's forehead and touch the shoulders of the other thropes.

"See you guys," Rafael grinned at them.

* * *

Harry stepped into the bedroom and found his three guys sitting on his bed waiting for him. He couldn't help but feel a little proud and smug when their eyes widened a little at the sight of him completely naked and wet with only a small towel around his waist.

"We were...were...erm...we…" Jason stammered, his eyes watching a drop of water roll its way down Harry's chest.

"Worried I would slip and fall in the shower?" Harry grinned.

"Yes," Jason shrugged.

"I am fine, I promise, still tired and aching and a bit drained, but better," Harry promised before dropping his towel and reaching for his lounge pants.

"Holy fuck," Stephen breathed out eying Harry unashamedly.

"How tired are you feeling exactly?" Jason groaned licking his lips.

"Enough that with all the will in the world, and I am willing it, I am not going to be able to get hard," Harry said, eying the three of them sitting on his bed, their bed, watching intently as he tugged his pants over his thighs and covered himself.

"What are we doing then? Are you going to sleep some more?" Nathaniel asked hopefully.

"I know you want me to rest up more, but I can't lie in bed any longer, I will go mad," Harry cupped the Wereleopard's neck, stroking his tanned skin gently.

"Why don't we watch a film? You can rest but won't be bored to death," Stephen suggested.

"That's a good idea," Harry smiled.

"I will go get the living room setup!" Stephen jumped from the bed.

"I will get drinks and food sorted," Nathaniel said excitedly.

"I will make sure that we make it down the stairs in one piece," Jason snorted as the other two hurried from the room. He stood and stepped closer to Harry, chuckling when he wrapped his arm around his waist and tugged him against his tanned still slightly damp body and kissing him sweetly and firmly, humming happily as he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer.

"Ok?" Harry asked gently, brushing blond hair from Jason's eyes.

"I am glad that you agreed to the others, I think I would have gone mad the last few days without them here as well," Jason sighed pressing his face into the crook of Harry's neck.

"I am sorry I worried you," Harry stroked his back gently, holding him close to offer him the comfort that he was clearly needing.

"Harry, you saved us, you exhausted and wiped yourself out to help us all. You don't need to apologise for that!" Jason shook his head.

"I didn't mean to worry you though," Harry shrugged, combing his fingers through Jason's hair.

"It just made me realise how much I feel for you, and how much I want the future that you painted for us, all of us," Jason admitted.

"Well, we have that to look forward to now," Harry smiled contently.

"Stephen and Nathaniel really like you," Jason said smugly.

"Alright Cupid, come on," Harry snorted smacking Jason on the bum to get him moving, laughing when the werewolf's bond with him pinged with happiness.

"This looks brilliant," Jason grinned stepping into the living room with Harry and seeing Stephen had made a small nest with pillows, cushions, and blankets on the floor so that they could get comfy, and no doubt hoping that Harry would nod off.

Stephen stood nervously by the pillow pile eying Harry hopefully and reminding the Wizard of his submissive. He moved into the center of the pile and lowered himself down, mentally grimacing at how stiff and sore he was still, before he groaned happily as he sank into the comfy pillows and blankets.

Stephen brightened at the sound and dropped down next to Harry, plumping the cushions slightly, and fussing a little around him. Jason dropped down comfortably on the other side of Harry and stretched out, grumbling happily himself as he snuggled into the cushions.

Nathaniel walked into the room holding a small pile of food, quickly dropping it onto the table before hurrying back into the kitchen and coming through with a tray with a large jug of lemonade and four glasses.

He set everything in reach of either Stephen or Jason before standing hesitantly at the edge of the blankets, clearly trying to work out where he could lie. Harry parted his legs a little and held his hands out to the wereleopard, guiding him down so that he was resting between Harry's legs, his head pillowed on Harry's stomach.

He reached out and started combing his fingers through Stephen's longer blond hair, while his other hand started stroking Jason's back, drawing a happy hum from his lover. Stephen started the film, Indiana Jones, and Harry enjoyed it, but at the same time he was mainly enjoying the contact with his three bondmates, having them close and feeling the happy, warm buzz coming from each of them through their bonds to him.

* * *

"Hello," Harry looked up from his papers as Damien walked into the living room, the tall vampire looking unsure as he stepped in.

"I could hear three of you were asleep, I did not want to wake you," Damien muttered.

"This is to be your home as well, as soon as I have enough magic back to make the changes anyway. You don't need to knock, and you're always welcome here until I get things set up," Harry assured him. He motioned to the armchair near their pillow pile and Damien lowered himself in it a little cautiously.

"I thought they were supposed to be looking after you," Damien said nodding to the two werewolves and wereleopard who were all flat out sprawled over Harry.

"They have been so busy watching over me while I was unconscious that they have exhausted themselves, they didn't even make it through half of the first film," Harry smiled fondly at them.

"You are better?" Damien asked briskly.

"Mostly, I wiped out my core," Harry glanced at Damien to see if he knew what that meant, getting a small nod he carried on, "that just takes a bit of recovery. I feel a little kicked in and drained, but I am getting there, another day or so and I should be back to normal mostly,"

"It was impressive," Damien nodded.

"Thank you," Harry nodded back, watching the vampire intently as the vampire looked right back at him.

"What are you working on?" Damien asked curiously looking at the papers on Harry's lap.

"I have been hired by my government to do some work over here rounding up some left over criminals from the war I was a part of,"

"I heard about the war, from some vampires in the London Kiss. It was bad,"

"It was,"

"I worked out who you were, after seeing your magic," Damien met his eyes.

"Hmm, you have concerns?" Harry tilted his head.

"I could not protect him from Anita because I was also bound to her, I am not bound to you, but you are very powerful if you chose to hurt him and take advantage of him…"

"I have done some terrible things, and though I tell myself that they were for the right reasons, they were still terrible. I have a lot of blood on my hands, and that is something that will also haunt me. I am scarred inside and out, and some days I fear that I have made myself the monster I trained to defeat. But, all I want is to give them what they all deserve,"

"And what is that?" Damien tilted his head.

"To be treated with love and kindness, to know tenderness and care for them, and to be put first. To not be betrayed. I have every intention of making sure that they have that. And I think, I think having them will stop me from becoming that monster I have been worried about becoming," Harry answered honestly.

"Anita, what about her?" Damien asked.

"If I need to kill her I will, and I think it is likely that I will need to. I won't let her destroy the people I care about or the life that I am building here,"

"Treat him right, give him what he needs, and I will always be with you helping you," Damien said after a good ten minutes silence where Harry just sat and watched the vampire, the TV playing unwatched in the background.

"Agreed. And Damien?"

"Yes?"

"You're a good man," Harry grinned when the vampire blinked at him shocked.

"Hmm...Damien?" Nathaniel stirred in Harry's lap saving the Vampire from having to respond to the comment.

Damien watched as Harry focussed in on him immediately, gently stroking Nathaniel's hair out of his eyes and then stroked down his side as he woke up properly.

"Harry!" Nathaniel gasped sitting up and turning to the wizard, blinking rapidly to clear the sleep from his lavender eyes. Harry chuckled lowly pulling Nathaniel forward enough so that he could scatter gentle kisses over his beautiful face, before capturing his lips in a slow, languid kiss that tasted of the wereleopard tired contentedness.

"Feeling better?" Harry asked gently massaging Nathaniel's neck.

"We were supposed to be looking after you," Nathaniel fretted a little.

"You were, you were right here if I needed anything, but you guys need to sleep as well. Damien is here," He added nodding to the chair. Nathaniel sat up and turned wide-eyed before smiling brightly at his friend.

"Damien!" Nathaniel went to move forward before looking at Harry.

"You never need my permission to interact with your friends, especially not Damien, go on sweetheart," Harry kissed him once more before nudging him.

He settled back against his cushions again, picking up his papers and went back to them, allowing some privacy for the two of them as they talked, though Nathaniel was definitely doing more nattering than Damien, but when he glanced over the papers he could see that Damien was happy being with the wereleopard, and was clearly enjoying Nathaniel's chatter.

"That had better not be work," Jason growled huffily making Harry glance down at him with a grin.

"It is," Harry chuckled when Jason huffed loudly and flopped around a little to sit up more, though he did capture his arm to make sure that he did not hit Stephen who was still fast asleep.

"How the hell did you even get these?" Jason growled narrowing his eyes at Harry. They were both aware of Nathaniel watching wide-eyed.

"Nagini went and got them for me," Harry shrugged. Jason turned and glared at Nagini who was curled up on the window seat in the sun, she hissed lazily at him and he turned to look at Harry with narrowed eyes.

"She said that she only brought them because I probably would have ended up trying to summon them. I tried to sleep but I couldn't and I was bored, and these were annoying me," Harry shrugged.

"You're terrible, how long have you been working for?" Jackson sighed.

"An hour," Harry said and then grimaced when Nagini hissed from her spot and Jason narrowed his eyes further.

"How long?"

"Three hours,"

"Harry!"

"Sorry!" Harry laughed.

"Ugh!" Jason batted away his hands when he reached out to tug him forward. "No you can't kiss and make me less annoyed," Jason shook his head, smacking Harry's hand away again. They both turned when Nathaniel sucked in a breath, Harry feeling the panic coming down their bond.

"Nathaniel?"

"Jason, you're going to get into trouble! You shouldn't do that," Nathaniel whispered. Harry glanced down when he felt a second thrum of worry and saw Stephen's blue eyes open and watching nervously.

"Woah woah woah! Nathaniel, come here please," Harry held his hand out.

"Are you angry at me?" Nathaniel shrunk in on himself even as he moved anyway.

"Come here," Harry urged taking the wereleopard's hands and pulling him down. "I want to know what you thought I would do to Jason?"

"Are you angry at me?" Nathaniel was wide-eyed now.

"I am not angry at you Nathaniel, look at our bond, what am I feeling?"

"You're worried and...you are angry," Nathaniel whimpered trying to show his throat but Harry cupped his neck and tugged him so he was sitting in his lap, Jason reaching out to rub his back comfortingly as Harry hugged him.

"I am angry at the people that have hurt you, Nathaniel, not at you. Now, please answer me, what did you think I was going to do to Jason?"

"He hit you," Nathaniel stammered, clinging tightly onto Harry.

"Yes, he did, we were bantering, what did you think I was going to do back?" Harry asked gently.

"He expected you to punch him," Damien spoke up and Nathaniel tensed in his arms.

"She punched you?" Harry closed his eyes, holding tightly onto Nathaniel.

"Yes, she did it a lot, if we didn't do as she asked," Stephen said softly from the cushions.

"Harry," Jason slid closer as anger burned through him like he had dragon fire in his veins.

"I am going to kill her," Harry growled.

"I'm sorry," Nathaniel grimaced.

"Why?" Harry asked confused, distracted from his anger.

"I panicked and reacted and you're angry now and…"

"Nathaniel, I told you that I wanted to look after you, all of you, yes?" Harry looked at the three of them, tugging Stephen up from where he was lying sitting up on his elbows pulling the two wolves against him as well.

"Yes," Jason answered for them.

"That means understanding what makes you happy, but it also means understanding what makes you upset, what makes you scared, what has hurt you in the past. I want to know, and I never want you to apologise for your reactions and fears,"

"But, you're angry," Nathaniel said softly.

"At Anita," Stephen shook his head. "You're angry at Anita right?"

"Yes, I am angry that you were treated like that, that she took advantage of the gifts that she had to act the way she did and to abuse you," Harry nodded rubbing Nathaniel's back.

"So you're not going to raise your hand to us?" Stephen challenged. Harry turned to meet his blue eyes, steady and challenging but filled with fear.

"I may punish you with a spanking if I feel that you have purposefully broken rules that we have put in place, but I will explain why I am doing it, and it will be a structured punishment. And you will all have individual safewords that you WILL use at any point where your boundaries have been passed, even in a punishment, and I will always stop and we will talk about it,"

"I…" Nathaniel started to say before clamming up and pressing his face into Harry's neck.

"What is it?" Harry encouraged.

"I don't know if I have boundaries," He muttered.

"I think you do sweetheart, but I think people haven't cared about them for so long that you don't think that they're there anymore. That is something that we can work on together, and I can monitor your well being through the bond as well,"

"We can work hard on figuring out what is right for us all, together, we're a family now, all of us," Jason pressed close to Nathaniel.

"Exactly, all five of us, and Richard and Rafael. We're going to be fine," Harry smiled kissing Nathaniel's cheek, pulling Stephen and Jason closer.

The three of them snuggled into him, and each other, getting comfortable and just enjoying the presence of the others and the soft, content hum of the bond in their chests, all three of them originating back to Harry as their center.

Damien sat in the armchair contently, enjoying being included in this moment, enjoying the hopeful, happy hum of his bond with Nathaniel, and appreciating that they seemed to understand that while he did not particularly want the physical closeness he enjoyed being included.

"Right, I think we're ordering in tonight," Harry hummed.

"I can cook," Nathaniel said softly.

"Hmm, if you want to, but I can feel how tired you are, you have all been busy looking after me, and everything that has happened has been exhausting. I think we should order in tonight,"

"Ok," Nathaniel nodded going limp against Harry again.

"I will call, just tell me what you want," Damien grunted tugging his phone out of his pocket.

* * *

"Hello," Richard tapped on the doorframe, leaning against it taking in the sight in front of him with slightly upturned lips.

"He made me stay," Damien huffed from the floor where the camp bed had been laid out for him.

"He's getting protective of him as well," Jason laughed softly so as not to disturb Harry, Nathaniel and Stephen who were fast asleep.

"I worry he is going to try adopting everyone," Rafael chuckled softly.

"How has he been?" Richard asked concerned seeing how deeply asleep his cousin was.

"Ok, not resting as much as we would like, but don't think that there is anything that we can do about that," Jason sighed looking down at Harry's sleeping face with so much care on his face that Richard could not help but smile.

"He's a stubborn bugger," Richard agreed.

"Family trait then?" Rafael said and then grinned when his lover turned to look at him affronted. "Come on, bed," He tugged Richard away from the door.

"Night," Richard waved.

"Night," Jason chirped, and Damien just raised his hand to them.

Damien lay back onto his bed and listened to the sounds of Jason falling asleep, mixing with the sleeping sounds of the four others in the room with him, guarding over them.

A family.

He had not had one of those in a long time.


End file.
